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Wolves in Utah
Partial ESA delisting presents management challenges in Utah
The Endangered Species Act listing status of wolves in Utah has changed many times due to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service findings and court rulings. This inconsistent regulatory authority has been confusing and frustrating for Utah livestock producers, hunters and wildlife managers. Although the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has repeatedly determined that wolves in the western U.S. no longer warrant listing, the species is still protected as endangered in most of Utah.
As of September 2025, the delisted zone (the small area both north of I-80 and east of I-84 highlighted in green on the map) is the only area where the state of Utah has authority to manage wolves. In the rest of state, wolves are still considered an endangered species and fall under federal control and protection.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has long urged the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to delist wolves statewide. DWR leadership, the governor's office and Utah’s congressional delegation have repeatedly requested that the federal government transfer all wolf management to states.
Are there wolves in Utah?
Dispersing wolves from Wyoming and Idaho have been confirmed in Utah on at least 21 occasions since 2004, and wolf depredation incidents have been documented on both cattle and sheep. An animal from Colorado briefly entered Utah in 2025. As of September 2025, the DWR was aware of at least one lone male wolf present in the state.
Nearly all confirmed sightings have been consistent with lone, dispersing wolves, and the DWR has been unable to verify any breeding behavior or established packs in Utah. With continuing wolf introductions in Colorado, dispersal into Utah is expected to continue and likely increase.
Do wolves pose a threat to human safety?
Wolves are generally not a threat to humans, but as a large predator, there is a small risk of attack. From 2002-2020, there were two fatal and five non-fatal wolf attacks documented in North America. Of those, only one occurred in the lower 48 states (in Minnesota in 2013) when a boy sustained non-life-threatening injuries from a wolf bite. Injured and habituated wolves pose the greatest threat to humans and dogs. Under both federal and state law, wolves may be killed when posing a direct threat to human health and safety.
What happens if a wolf enters Utah?
In 2010, the Utah Legislature directed the DWR to prevent any packs of wolves from establishing within the delisted portion of Utah (Utah Code 23A-15, Wolf Management Act). To comply, the DWR will prevent wolves from becoming established in that area.
Wolves outside of the delisted area are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Under an agreement with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and permits from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, wolves originating from Colorado, New Mexico or Arizona can be captured and returned to those states. Trappers with the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food and DWR biologists have plans in place and will work together to prioritize moving the animals out of Utah.
The general public may not hunt, kill or trap wolves anywhere in Utah. In the delisted portion of the state, livestock producers are given options for dealing with wolf depredation. If you see an animal you believe to be a wolf, contact the nearest DWR office to report the sighting.
Does Utah have a long-term plan for dealing with wolves?
After federal delisting occurs, the DWR can implement the Utah Wolf Management Plan and manage wolves throughout the state. The wolf management plan was written by a diverse stakeholder group and first approved by the Wildlife Board in 2005 with an extension until 2030.
The plan aims to guide the management of wolves in Utah during an interim period from delisting until it is determined that wolves have established. The goal of the plan is to:
- Manage, study and conserve wolves moving into Utah
- Avoid conflicts with the wildlife management objectives of the Ute Indian Tribe
- Prevent livestock depredation
- Protect the investment made in wildlife in Utah
Utah Wolf Management Plan
- Download the entire 2005 Utah Wolf Management Plan — PDF
Wolf information and references
Fact sheet
- Wolf management in Utah (updated March 1, 2022) — PDF
Legal status
Delisting of wolves contract report
- June 2020 report — PDF
- December 31, 2019 report — PDF
- June 2019 report — PDF
- December 31, 2018 report — PDF
- June 2018 report — PDF
- July 2017 report — PDF
- September 2016 report — PDF
- June 30, 2014 report — PDF
- June 30, 2013 report — PDF
Utah Wolf Working Group activities
The Wolf Working Group completed its directive of developing a recommended a wolf managment plan for Utah in 2005. Listed below is an archive of their activities while the group was still active.
