What’s the Latest on Colorado’s ‘Gray Wolf Problem?’

It's a very "hot topic" across Colorado - the reintroduction of gray wolves into the state. Most notably ranchers are against it, because they're already losing livestock.

Near the end of 2023, Colorado's Department of Parks & Wildlife (CPW) had completed their goal of moving 10 gray wolves into Colorado; by spring of 2024, they had planned to have over a dozen.

Get our free mobile app

The wolves, while they are here to help diminish the amount of deer and elk, and provide "biodiversity' for Colorado, they are also killing livestock that ranchers need to keep alive.

One Colorado rancher has seen six of his cattle killed by two of the wolves in his area.

Two things of note, in regards to the wolves' reintroduction, made the news in spring of 2024.

Republicans Vote to Remove 'Endangered' Protections for Gray Wolves

According to Yahoo News, on April 30, 2024, Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert was behind a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives (with a Republican majority) that passed.

The bill, if approved by the Senate and then not vetoed by President Biden, would take away protections for the gray wolves.

From YahooNew.com:

To supporters [of keeping the protections for gray wolves,] the apex predators embody the free spirit of the American wilderness, while detractors see them as a threat to ranchers' livelihoods.

 

State of Colorado Puts $20,000 Towards 'Conflict Management'

The conflict being, the gray wolves versus the Colorado ranchers who are being affected by the wolves. According to the Colorado Sun, the Colorado Department of Agriculture will be giving Grand County $20,000 for non-lethal deterrent efforts:

Non-lethal deterrents such as, Range Riders, who protect cattle and work to adjust the hunting pattern of the gray wolves. Some don't see that as a viable solution.

From the Colorado Sun:

[A Washington State wildlife conflict specialist stated] the only way to assure wolves won’t continue to prey on cattle like they have in Grand County is to kill them.

The Sun also reports that the state has almost $600,000 allocated for their wolf reintroduction conflict resolution program.

This issue doesn't look to be going away anytime soon