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Ranchers, representatives express concerns and hopes over second introduction of wolves in the state

<i>Colorado Parks and Wildlife/KCNC via CNN Newsource</i><br/>Another batch of wolves is on the ground in Colorado.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife/KCNC via CNN Newsource
Another batch of wolves is on the ground in Colorado.

By Spencer Wilson, Olivia Young

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    Colorado (KCNC) — Another batch of wolves is on the ground in Colorado, but even before Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced their latest reintroduction of the Gray Wolf in the state, it’s been a turbulent time for wolf supporters and opponents.

CPW said their offices have been watched and they have received threats. So they kept details of the recent release of 20 wolves under wraps for the safety of staff and animals. But now that it’s confirmed, ranchers are worried.

No more than two weeks ago, CPW dismissed a petition created by the Middle Park Stockgrowers Association, asking the state run agency to put a halt to the voter-mandated reintroduction. Its collective argument, boiled down, was that there was not enough support in place to successfully protect livestock growers and Coloradans who are now living amongst wolves in the state’s high country. Tim Ritschard, Middle Park Stockgrowers Association said he was not surprised to be denied.

“We are back at square one,” Ritschard said. “We saw what happened with the first one (wolf release,) we don’t have funding for range riders, carcass management, the rapid response teams, no communication, you saw what happened with the first round.”

Ranchers in his area are still dealing with the impacts of the first wolf release, 10 gray wolves from Oregon, released in Summit and Grand counties in 2023.

“We had the first confirmed depredation, a neighbor of mine, on April 2, and then multiple depredations after that. A lot of missing animals, lot of wolf activity,” Ritschard said. “It’s frustrating to us that the Copper Creek Pack got re-released.”

CPW has been hosting public meetings with concerned or excited citizens in the areas we now know wolves have been released in, both Eagle and Pitkin Counties. Still, Ritschard said the communication with the people living where the wolves are has not been enough, and the plan in his opinion, has failed.

“(In terms of a grading scale,) I gave it a D,” Ritschard said. “I mean, it just seems like it has been chaotic. It’s not been a complete failure. Obviously, they have successful wolves out there and I think that we are trying to learn some of this stuff, but I give it a D. It’s incomplete. I think there is a lot to be done and we are still getting there, and that is why we asked for this pause.”

Meanwhile, the Center for Biological Diversity’s Alli Henderson, Southern Rockies director and a senior attorney, praised CPW’s decision to push past the pause request. She called CPW’s board vote of 10-1 “a victory for wildlife and the power of democracy.”

Henderson said she’s excited for the next batch of wolves to strengthen a plan she says is working, albeit not perfectly.

“I think that we’re on track for the reintroduction,” Henderson said. “Especially after the first year, and surely things could be better from the perspective of folks wanting to come to the table to deploy non-lethal coexistence. And I’m definitely very encouraged by knowing that there are producers out there that are doing this and taking advantage of all the resources that are going to keep both livestock and wolves alive.”

Henderson said she believes ranchers are dealing with a solvable problem, and that the options provided by CPW for nonlethal deterrents to keep wolves away from livestock are working. Losses of livestock are expected, she said, and in the larger scope of the issue, the losses are small in comparison to other dangers facing the animals.

Stock producers have argued there is more than just a mortal cost to wolves. They believe having the wolves around their cattle or sheep will emotionally stress their animals, which can result in loss of weight and health and therefore result in loss of profit as well. Henderson has said no science supports that argument.

Her current focus is to provide an incentive for someone to come forward about one of the wolves from the first batch that was shot and killed. The Department of Fish and Wildlife is now investigating the felony crime. Henderson’s organization has pledged $15,000 to a combined $100,000 to be added to whatever undisclosed monetary reward is being offered by the department.

Henderson said she’s tired of people either joking or being serious about their malicious intent towards Colorado’s wolf population.

“It’s been extremely discouraging to hear people publicly calling for people to commit felonies by killing these wolves, whether it’s by poisoning or shooting them,” Henderson said. “So, you know, we do want to send a message that this is not only highly illegal, but it is extremely amoral as well. And we know that people, somebody out there knows what happened. And we are hopeful that people will step forward and do the right thing because this is a tragedy.”

“I hope they don’t, but it’s, it’s coming to that point where it might be that. I know we’re not going to do that. We’re law-abiding citizens,” Ritschard said. “We knew what the consequences are, and we’re not willing to put ourselves into that.”

Members of the GOP members of Congress issued a statement in January expressing their hope the federal government will step in to stop the reintroduction efforts. State Senator Dylan Roberts (D) has voiced his concern for the communities under his jurisdiction who just received new wolves and the way the plan has been rolled out.

“I’m a little surprised that it was so quickly after the commissioner meeting that only just happened,” Roberts said of the release. “That was a very emotional day and one that the Middle Park Stockgrowers and everybody that supported that petition put their heart and soul into and made arguments.”

Roberts said he thought there would be more time before the new wolves were brought to Colorado to allow commitments made by CPW to begin.

“However, we will continue to monitor this, and we can do things to make sure those commitments are honored and put in place and if they are not, we are in session right now. We are at the capital, we can introduce bills, call witnesses before us to get answers, so we will do everything we can to make sure this is happening as well as it could,” Roberts said.

Roberts had a rosier outlook about this round of wolves than the previous one, unlike ranchers CBS Colorado spoke with.

“I think for my constituents who are about to be impacted, we have learned a lot from the first year. CPW has made improvements as far as their communication and the resources available for ranchers and the community, so things are better,” Roberts said. “It isn’t going to be easy but things are in a little bit of a better place than they used to be.”

CPW said it’s working to address the concerns and mitigate the impact on livestock.

“As restoration efforts continue, CPW is committed to working with livestock owners, communities, state agencies, and all partners to reduce the likelihood of wolf-livestock conflict. Our goal is to keep ranchers ranching, while at the same time restoring a healthy, sustainable population of gray wolves to Colorado as mandated,” said CPW Director Jeff Davis.

With funding help from CPW, Middle Park has hired a “range rider”, someone who patrols to protect livestock.

Ranchers can also claim compensation if their livestock are killed or injured by wolves, but Ritschard says that can be challenging to prove.

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