Science-driven rewilding

Bringing wolves
back to Utah.

Gray wolves were extirpated from Utah by the 1930s. We use population genomics, habitat modeling, and open science to build the case for their return and to ensure it succeeds.

Gray wolf standing before Delicate Arch at sunset, Utah

Arches National Park · San Juan County

~18k mi² suitable habitat
6 confirmed sightings since 2011
90yr since extirpation
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Population genomics

Using whole-genome sequencing data to identify the optimal source population for reintroduction — minimizing inbreeding, maximizing long-term viability.

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Habitat modeling

Quantifying prey base, connectivity corridors, and human conflict risk to build a spatially explicit case for where wolves can thrive in Utah.

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Open science

All pipelines, data, and findings are published openly. Peer-reviewed preprints, public code repositories, and accessible public education.

Wolf pack on a snowy mountainside

Pack behavior & ecology

Wolves don't just survive — they rebuild ecosystems

The reintroduction of gray wolves to Yellowstone in 1995 produced one of the most studied trophic cascades in ecology. Elk changed their grazing behavior, riparian vegetation recovered, stream banks stabilized, and beaver populations rebounded within a decade.

Utah's landscapes — the Uinta highlands, the High Plateaus, the canyon country of San Juan County — present a structurally similar opportunity. The prey base is there. The terrain is there. What's missing is the predator that shaped it.

Wasatch Range · Northern Utah

Research

Current & planned work

All research is conducted using publicly available whole-genome sequencing data and open-source tools. Pipelines are published on GitHub and designed to be reproduced and extended.

CRISPR / Genomics

TMPRSS2 gRNA design for CDV-resistant wolves

649 candidate gRNAs scanned across the wolf TMPRSS2 coding sequence. Top 5 validated by NCBI BLAST against the wolf genome. The top-ranked candidate scores 0.930 with zero off-target hits in Canis lupus baileyi.

Complete — preprint in prep View analysis →

Population genomics

Mitochondrial diversity across global wolf populations

100 complete mitochondrial genomes across 12 populations and subspecies. Iberian wolves carry 14 times more mtDNA diversity than Mexican wolves. A neighbor-joining phylogeny places North American wolves as the appropriate source lineage for Utah reintroduction.

Complete — preprint in prep View analysis →

Population genomics

Wolf source population analysis for Utah reintroduction

Whole-genome PCA, ADMIXTURE, FST, and runs-of-homozygosity inbreeding analysis across Rocky Mountain wolf populations. Goal is to identify the best genetic source for a Utah reintroduction program.

In progress

Bioinformatics tools

Open-source wolf population genomics pipeline

A Snakemake pipeline wrapping GATK, PLINK, ADMIXTURE, and VCFtools for end-to-end population genomic analysis. Built to run on publicly available SRA data without requiring HPC infrastructure.

In progress

Habitat modeling

Utah wolf habitat suitability & prey base assessment

Species distribution modeling using GBIF occurrence data, ungulate biomass estimates, terrain analysis, and human conflict risk. Output will be spatially explicit habitat suitability maps for Utah.

Planned Q3

Policy analysis

Regulatory landscape for Utah wolf reintroduction

A review of ESA delisting history, Utah state law, tribal consultation requirements, and the Section 10(j) experimental population pathway that would most likely govern a formal reintroduction.

Planned Q3

Habitat connectivity

Utah's hidden wolf highway: Bear River & Green River corridors

A documented, 25-year record of wolf dispersal through two formally mapped corridors connecting the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem to the Southern Rockies. Collared wolves, confirmed depredations, and a management posture designed to obscure it.

Complete Read the investigation →

Interactive tool

Predator Reintroduction Simulator

Interactive population viability simulator for wolf reintroduction scenarios across Utah wilderness areas. Modified Leslie matrix model with 200 Monte Carlo replicates. Adjust founder size, survival rates, and habitat parameters in real time.

Live Launch simulator →

Ancient DNA

Historical wolf genetic diversity in the Great Basin

Analysis of publicly available ancient wolf genomic data to characterize pre-extirpation diversity levels in this region and set meaningful targets for what a restored population should look like.

Planned Q4

Public education

Utah Wolf Atlas — open data portal

A public data portal pulling together verified sightings, habitat data, and genomic findings in one place. Built for educators, journalists, and anyone following the reintroduction conversation.

Planned Q4

Analysis pipeline — current status

✓
SRA data
download
✓
QC &
trimming
3
Alignment
CanFam4
4
Variant
calling
5
Population
structure
6
Inbreeding
analysis
7
Preprint
submission

Wolf map

Utah wolf sightings & habitat

Documented wolf occurrences in and around Utah since 2011, alongside modeled habitat suitability zones.

NEVADA COLORADO IDAHO WYOMING ARIZONA NM UTAH UINTA MOUNTAINS WASATCH RANGE HIGH PLATEAUS CANYON COUNTRY Yellowstone corridor 4 corners
Legend
Verified sighting
Disperser / unverified
Habitat zone

Filter layers

Layers
Recent sightings
Wayne County
Southern Utah · 2023
Verified
Uinta Basin
GPS-collared disperser · 2021
Verified
Central Utah
Trail camera · 2021
Verified
OR-7 dispersal route
Northern Utah · 2011
Disperser

Sighting data compiled from USFWS annual reports, UDWR records, and peer-reviewed literature. Updated periodically.

About

Andrew Hansen

I'm a Biotechnology student at Utah Valley University. I work on the computational and scientific case for gray wolf reintroduction in Utah, building population genomics pipelines, designing CRISPR analysis tools, and translating that work into public-facing research.

This project started as a personal interest and turned into a structured research program. I build open-source tools for population genomic analysis, write preprints on wolf population structure and reintroduction feasibility, and try to make the underlying science accessible to people outside academia.

I founded Rewild Genomics LLC to support this work through grants and eventual wet-lab partnerships.

Population genomics CRISPR pipeline design Snakemake / bioinformatics Conservation biology Utah ecology Wolf reintroduction
GitHub → bioRxiv → Email →

Get involved

Join the effort

Whether you're a researcher, educator, journalist, policymaker, or Utah resident who cares about wolves — there's a way to contribute.

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Collaborate on research

Have relevant data, wet lab access, or genomics expertise? I'm actively seeking research collaborators and university partnerships.

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Spread the science

Educators, journalists, and science communicators — help translate this research into public understanding and policy conversation.

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Submit a sighting

Have you seen a wolf or found evidence of one in Utah? Your observation could contribute to the dataset.

Get in touch

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