DENVER – A map published today on Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s website will inform the public, recreationists and livestock producers on where wolves have been in the past month. This map will be updated with new information on a monthly basis, produced on the fourth Wednesday of every month, and will reflect data for the prior month, give or take several days.
These maps are created using GPS collar data collected from all 12 collared wolves in Colorado. This includes the 10 animals reintroduced from Oregon, as well as the two collared wolves in North Park.
About the GPS collar data
- Currently, the collars are programmed to record a position every four hours.
- Once four locations have been recorded, the packet of four locations is then transmitted via satellite to CPW biologists.
- The frequency of both position recording and transmission of the data can be delayed by a number of factors such as dense cloud cover, closed terrain, etc.
- By looking at the data, CPW staff can learn where wolves have been, but they cannot tell where wolves are at a current point in time, nor can they predict where the wolves will go.
- To protect the wolves, specific GPS data will not be shared.
Learn more about living and recreating in wolf country on our website. CPW also created this hands-on resource guide to help reduce wolf depredations on livestock.
CPW’s new Map Indicating Current Collared Wolf Activity in Colorado.
This map depicts watersheds where the 12 collared wolves in Colorado have been for the last month. A watershed is a geographic unit that drains water into a specific waterbody. These are also known as Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUC). Information is shared at the HUC 10 level. Watersheds are the appropriate mapping unit to display wolf activity information because wolves are far more likely to use geographic features to affect their distribution than they are political boundaries. The HUC 10 scale provides detailed information that can help agricultural producers be informed of the general areas where wolf activity is known to exist without being too general (i.e. as a county level map would be), and also is not so specific so as to risk the protection of individual wolves (as a finer scale HUC12 map would be). More can be learned about HUCs at water.usgs.gov/GIS/huc.html.
In order for a watershed to indicate wolf activity, at least one GPS point from the wolf collars was recorded within the boundaries of the watershed. Simply because a watershed indicates wolf activity, it does not mean that a wolf or wolves are present throughout the entire watershed nor that they are currently in the watershed. For example, a wolf has not yet been located south of I-70, even though the watershed in which a wolf was detected spans both north and south of the Interstate.
CPW reserves the right to buffer maps that will be shared with the public if doing so protects wolf welfare during sensitive times of the year (e.g., mating season).
At this point, all known wolves in Colorado have functional GPS collars. This allows for an accurate depiction of the watersheds where wolves are known to be active. It should be expected that through immigration from other states and natural reproduction of pups, the proportion of wolves that have collars will be reduced over time. Therefore, the accuracy of this map will be diminished over time as the activity of uncollared wolves may not be included in this map.
Category: Front Page
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New map will help inform Coloradans on general areas inhabited by gray wolves in Colorado
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Colorado Missing Persons Open House – January 31, 2024
(January 24, 2024—CBI—Lakewood, CO)— The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is hosting an open house for families who have missing loved ones who are interested in providing a family reference sample. The event will take place on January 31, 2024 at CBI Headquarters, 690 Kipling St, Denver, CO 80215.
A family reference sample is collected with a cheek swab obtained using a large Q-tip, and used for potential future comparisons. Ideally the CBI would like to collect two (2) family reference samples in each missing person case, from the closest blood relatives, either from the mother and father or siblings if available.
Additionally, if you have photos of your missing loved one and/or medical/dental records that you would like to provide please bring those as well. We will scan those records and send the originals home with you.
This event is for families who have already reported their loved ones as missing, but have not yet provided a reference sample. If you have a missing loved one and have not yet reported them to local law enforcement please do that before attending this open house.
Similarly, if a loved one has gone missing in another State, CBI is able to take your reference sample and provide it to that State for you.
If you would like to provide a reference sample but are unable to attend the open house, or if you have any questions or comments about the event please contact Audrey Simkins via email at .
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Point in Time (PIT) counts those experiencing homelessness
Coordinated effort provides data on building comprehensive strategies to help end homelessnessARAPAHOE COUNTY—Jan. 18, 2024—Arapahoe County will participate in the annual Point in Time Count of those experiencing homelessness on Jan. 23, 2024. Arapahoe County employees, volunteers and community partners conduct the count throughout the County. Similar action is taken by municipalities and local governments across the Front Range.The effort raises public awareness, promotes collaboration across the region, and provides updated data. The goal is to inform local government and community partner response efforts to help neighbors experiencing homelessness.The count is conducted in coordination with seven metro area counties through the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI) and is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).“It is imperative to understand the extent of the unhoused in our community,” said Arapahoe County Commissioner Bill Holen. “The Point in Time count only provides us with a snapshot of the unhoused population on a given night, but the County uses this information to designate resources in the appropriate areas to have the greatest impact.”Arapahoe County counts those experiencing homelessness across all jurisdictions, except within the City of Aurora, which stands alone as an individual HUD entitlement entity. Homelessness knows no boundaries and the data collected across the metro region informs coordinated efforts to support our most vulnerable community members. Including Aurora figures, just under 1000 individuals were counted in 2023. This was a small reduction from the 2022 count, but still demonstrates a large increase since our pre-pandemic counts.The Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners established the Homeless Coordinating Committee (HCC) to address the crisis of homelessness within Arapahoe County. The HCC was established through the coordinated efforts of a diverse group of local partners. The primary goal of the HCC is to develop a plan to address homelessness and affordable housing in partnership with over 100 local organizations and governmental agencies. The County is expected to adopt the HCC strategic plan for implementation in 2024.The 2024 Point in Time Count numbers will be released later this year. Data from 2023 is available from the MDHI website. -
State Fire Agency Announces Community Risk Reduction Week 2024
Lakewood, CO – The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) is taking part in Community Risk Reduction (CRR) Week. CRR Week is a grass-roots effort by an informal group of fire safety professionals from across the nation.
The goal of CRR is to reduce the occurrence and impact of emergency events for both community members and emergency responders.
With this data-driven process, communities can identify and prioritize local risks, followed by the integrated and strategic investment of emergency response and prevention resources to reduce their occurrence and impact and build healthy, safe and resilient communities.
CRR Week 2024 kicks off on Martin Luther King Day, a National Day of Service, which is Monday, January 15, 2024. It runs through Sunday, January 21.
“Governor Polis was first in the Nation to proclaim January 15-21 is CRR Week,” said DFPC Fire & Life Safety Section Chief Chris Brunette. “We are grateful for his support and hope this emphasizes the importance of Community Risk Reduction for all.”
Follow CRR on social media via YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
Follow Fire Safe Colorado on social media via Facebook and Instagram. -
First DUI enforcement period of the year begins tomorrow
Statewide Safety News
At least 218 traffic deaths involved impairment in 2023
La primera campaña de DUI del año empieza el jueves en español
Statewide — It’s officially the season of winter fun and powder ski days, but motorists are encouraged not to start their year on a downhill slope toward a DUI. From Jan. 11 to 24, the Colorado Department of Transportation will support the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and 69 local law enforcement agencies for the Winter Blitz DUI enforcement period. Patrols across the state will remove impaired drivers from roads and encourage Coloradans to begin the new year safely. During enforcement periods, drivers may see sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols, and additional law enforcement on duty dedicated to impaired driving enforcement.
Based on preliminary data, there were 218 impaired-related crash fatalities on Colorado roads in 2023, down from 286 last year. The 2023 number will likely increase slightly while data is finalized. The counties with the highest number of fatalities involving an impaired driver in 2023 were Arapahoe (26), Adams (22), El Paso (21) and Jefferson (20). Adams County has ranked among the top three counties for impaired-related fatalities in the state since 2019. Additionally, the Colorado Springs police department reported 740 DUI arrests in 2023, the most of any other police department in the state. CSP reported a total of 1,101 DUI arrests across all 16 high-visibility enforcement periods.
Impaired driving fatalities from 2019 through 2023. “Last year’s Winter Blitz enforcement period resulted in over 370 DUI arrests,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “Don’t risk losing your time, money, license or even your life because of a DUI. Even if you think you’re okay to drive, it’s always better to plan for a sober ride. All motorists, passengers and pedestrians are counting on your decisions this year.”
Driving under the influence of any impairing substance is illegal, not just alcohol. The majority of Colorado State Patrol troopers have specialized training in drug detection, known as ARIDE (Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement). All Colorado law enforcement agencies are able to administer alcohol and drug toxicology tests to drivers following a fatal DUI crash. Additionally, there are over 120 Drug Recognition Experts (DRE) in Colorado trained to recognize impairment in drivers under the influence of drugs other than, or in addition to, alcohol.
“Even if you think you’re okay to drive, it’s always better to get a ride with a sober driver,” said CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk. “Getting behind the wheel while under the influence puts others in danger and greatly increases the risk of a crash. There’s never a good reason to drive impaired.”
The recent New Year’s Eve Weekend enforcement period concluded with 221 arrests across 82 participating agencies. The agencies with the highest arrests were Denver Police Department (26), Thornton Police Department (15) and Colorado Springs Police Department (11). CSP reported 36 arrests. The next DUI enforcement period will be Super Bowl Weekend from Feb. 8 to 14.
For yearly impaired-driving crash and fatality data in Colorado, visit https://www.codot.gov/safety/
traffic-safety/data-analysis/ fatal-crash-data. For local law enforcement agency plans, visit https://www.codot.gov/safety/ traffic-safety-reporting- portal. About The Heat Is On
The Heat Is On campaign runs throughout the year, with 16 specific high-visibility impaired driving enforcement periods centered on national holidays and large public events. Find more information by clicking here. Enforcement periods can include sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols and additional law enforcement on duty dedicated to impaired driving enforcement. Find more details about the campaign, including impaired driving enforcement plans, arrest totals and safety tips at HeatIsOnColorado.com. More information about DUI laws in Colorado can be found at NoDUIColorado.org. Learn more about CDOT’s dedication to keeping Colorado roads safe, including impaired driving enforcement objectives, arrest data and safety information at codot.gov/safety.
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Life Goals – Adventures – Possibilities
All Reasons to Drive Sober this New Year’s
(COLO) – Party too hard this holiday weekend and you might meet a Colorado State trooper. With increased alcohol consumption and other impairing substances during New Year’s celebrations, it’s no wonder that impairment-caused crashes and fatalities commonly spike up at calendar year-end.
Last year, the Colorado State Patrol responded to 20 crashes determined to be caused by an impaired driver on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
“The New Year is a time where people often reflect on their life, set life goals and dream of new adventures,” stated Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “All the possibilities quickly become doubtful with a DUI. Instead, the only thing you can count on for 2024 is becoming a New Year’s drunk driving statistic.”
Just like last year, troopers will step up their efforts and increase patrols seeking impaired drivers before they cause a needless tragedy. Looking at the year-to-date crash picture, Colorado State Patrol crash investigators have handled over 210 crashes from January through July.
“Make your first decision of the New Year a healthy one; don’t drive drunk or high,” stated Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “There is nothing I dread more than informing a family that their loved one won’t be coming home. Make a plan for a sober ride.”
If drugs or alcohol are a part of your New Year’s plan, line up a rideshare, taxi, public transportation, sober friend/family member, or plan on staying the night at that location.
Troopers continue to take a low-tolerance approach to the top fatal crash factors, including lane violations, impaired driving and speeding while launching a yearlong campaign called “Drive Safe.” This campaign reminds people to reflect on everything they love and value and plan a sober ride when planning to celebrate.
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife successfully releases gray wolves on Colorado’s Western Slope
Colorado Parks and Wildlife released five gray wolves onto public land in Grand County, Colorado on Monday, December 18, 2023. Pictured is wolf 2302-OR.COLORADO – Today, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) experts released five gray wolves onto public land in Grand County in a historic effort to create a permanent, self-sustaining wolf population and fulfill voter approval to re-establish gray wolves in Colorado.
The gray wolves were captured in Oregon where CPW veterinarians and biologists evaluated them to determine if they were fit for relocation to Colorado. Criteria for release included the age, sex, health and body condition of each animal.
Each gray wolf was weighed and measured. Staff collected genetic material – tissue and blood samples – before fitting each with a GPS satellite collar for tracking upon release by CPW staff. Then, the wolves were given vaccines and were placed in crates and flown to Colorado for release back into the wild.
Meet Colorado’s new wolves:
2302-OR: Juvenile female, black color, 68 lbs., Five Points Pack
2303-OR: Juvenile male, gray color, 76 lbs. Five Points Pack
2304-OR: Juvenile female, gray color, 76 lbs., Noregaard Pack
2305-OR: Juvenile male, black color, 93 lbs., Noregaard Pack
2307-OR: Adult male, gray color, 108 lbs., Wenaha Pack
Note: All wolves captured, collared and released in Colorado will use the same naming convention: The first two numbers (23) will indicate the year the animal was captured. The second set of numbers informs biologists of the wolf’s gender (males will have odd numbers, females will have even) and the order in which it was collared. *The “OR” suffix indicates the wolves came from Oregon.
CPW will repeat the process until at least 10 – 15 wolves have been reintroduced in Colorado by mid-March 2024. As outlined in the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan, CPW hopes to release 30 to 50 wolves over the next 3 – 5 years using wolves captured from nearby northern Rockies states from several different packs by trapping and darting them in the winter.
Gray wolves are listed both state and federally as an endangered species in Colorado by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has designated the Colorado wolf population as Experimental under Section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act. This provides management flexibility that would otherwise be prohibited.
CPW’s reintroduction program builds on work started by the USFWS in 1995 when that federal agency began restoring gray wolves in the Western U.S., starting with an experimental population released in Yellowstone National Park in Montana. Wolf reintroduction efforts eventually spread to Wyoming, Idaho, New Mexico and Arizona.
The Oregon wolves released represent CPW’s determination to fulfill the wishes of Colorado voters who, in 2020, directed the agency to begin reintroducing wolves by Dec. 31, 2023. The new wolves will be managed by CPW using the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan, approved by the CPW Commission in May 2023, after more than two years of extensive statewide stakeholder meetings and outreach via a series of public hearings.
Ultimately, CPW plans to recover and maintain a viable, self-sustaining wolf population in Colorado while balancing the need to manage interactions between wolves, people and livestock.
This project marks another milestone in the long CPW tradition of species recovery in Colorado. These include the black-footed ferret, one of North America’s rarest mammals, the 1999 effort to reintroduce the lynx, the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, the greenback cutthroat trout, and many more.
“Today, history was made in Colorado. For the first time since the 1940s, the howl of wolves will officially return to western Colorado. The return of wolves fulfills the will of voters who, in 2020, passed an initiative requiring the reintroduction of wolves starting by Dec. 31, 2023. What followed were three years of comprehensive listening and work by Colorado Parks and Wildlife to draft a plan to restore and manage wolves that included public meetings in every corner of the state and was inclusive of all points of view and weighed the needs of a wide range of communities with a deep interest in the thoughtful outcome of this effort,” said Colorado Governor Jared Polis. “I am proud of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff for their hard work to make this happen. The shared efforts to reintroduce wolves are just getting started and wolves will rejoin a diverse ecosystem of Colorado wildlife.”
“Today’s reintroduction of the gray wolf is a tremendous accomplishment for Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the citizens of Colorado,” said Dan Gibbs, Executive Director, Department of Natural Resources. “This would not have been possible without the tireless work of CPW staff and the Parks and Wildlife Commission, the members of both our advisory boards and the citizens and stakeholders who engaged and weighed in to make our wolf management plan the best for all Coloradans and for wolves that once again grace our Colorado landscapes.”
“This is a historic day for Colorado,” said CPW Director Jeff Davis. “We want to thank the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their work to complete and approve the 10(j) designation that lists wolves in Colorado as a nonessential, experimental population. This helps us to follow all of the conflict mitigation plans we accounted for in the final Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan. Having the rule in place in early December helped CPW to stay on track to reintroduce wolves in 2023 with the ability to use the appropriate management tools. We’ll continue releasing animals based on our plan to have wolves not just survive but thrive in Colorado as they did a century ago.”
“Pulling off a successful first wolf release in Colorado touched all corners of our agency,” said CPW Assistant Director Aquatic, Terrestrial, and Natural Resources Reid DeWalt. “This has been two years of work to approve the plan plus another year of work to secure our first source population and get us to this release day. We are grateful to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for working with our agency on an agreement for up to 10 wolves and for all the CPW staff who contributed to this historic day.”
“It was an honor to participate in this historic effort,” said CPW Wolf Conservation Program Manager Eric Odell. “We were thrilled to have great conditions for capture and early success in Oregon. Weather conditions and information on pack locations provided by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife staff combined to help us capture five gray wolves on day one of capture operations in northeast Oregon and release them earlier today on Colorado’s Western Slope.”
Oregon
https://vimeo.com/895711361?share=copy
Colorado Release
https://vimeo.com/896009008?share=copy
Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff weighs wolf 2304-OR on December 17, 2023.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife veterinarian Pauline Nol and biologist Ellen Brandell examine 2307-OR on December 17, 2023.
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Troop 3D Press release for surge operation
The holiday season is upon us. Impaired driving increases during this time, so Troop 3D Troopers will be conducting a DUI/D enforcement surge operation. Troopers will be focusing their efforts on the Adams/ Arapahoe and Elbert County areas with Troopers also in Lincoln and Kit Carson Counties as well. If you see a suspected impaired driver call *277 to report it.
Happy holidays and drive safe! -
Discover Colorado’s Most Popular Christmas Candy!
Knowing that 4 out of 5 Americans love filling their Christmas stockings with candy, HubScore has published its latest report on America’s Favorite Candy by State and the people of Colorado are joining in by choosing Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups as their go-to festive treat.
Entertainment experts at HubScore delved into the top 20 Christmas candies to analyze the top 5 most popular in each state. Kit Kat emerged as the nation’s favorite, however the people of Colorado chose a creamy butter candy.
MOST POPULAR CHRISTMAS CANDIES IN COLORADO
(The most popular Christmas candies in Colorado ranked in order of popularity in 2023)
1. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
2. M&Ms
3. Kit Kat
4. Skittles
5. Snickers
Discover more about the most popular Christmas candies in other states here. -
Governor Polis Orders Flags to Fly Half Staff to Honor Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
DENVER – Today, Governor Polis ordered flags to be flown at half-staff on all public buildings to honor Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman on the Nation’s highest court as directed by President Biden. Flags should be at half-staff from midnight to sunset on Tuesday, December 19, 2023. Governor Polis previously released a statement on the passing of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.The text of President Biden’s proclamations reads:Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was an American icon, the first woman on our Nation’s highest court. She spent her career committed to the stable center, pragmatic and in search of common ground. Defined by her no-nonsense Arizona ranch roots, Justice O’Connor overcame discrimination early on, at a time when law firms too often told women to seek work as secretaries, not attorneys. She gave her life to public service, even holding elected office, and never forgot those ties to the people whom the law is meant to serve. She sought to avoid ideology, and was devoted to the rule of law and to the bedrock American principle of an independent judiciary. Justice O’Connor never quit striving to make this Nation stronger, calling on us all to engage with our country and with one another, and her institute’s work to promote civics education and civil discourse has touched millions. She knew that for democracy to work, we have to listen to each other, and remember how much more we all have in common as Americans than what keeps us apart.As a mark of respect for the memory and longstanding service of Sandra Day O’Connor, retired Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, I hereby order, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, that on the day of her interment, the flag of the United States shall be flown at half‑staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset on such day. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same period at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
