Five gray wolves have been released into the Rocky Mountain woods in Colorado as part of the state's voter-backed reintroduction program. The arrival of these wolves marks the first time in nearly a century that wolves have returned to the state. The reintroduction effort has faced opposition from ranchers and hunters, but advocates hope that the wolves will help restore a thriving population and complete a chain of canis lupus from the Northern Rockies to the Southwest. The state has implemented measures to manage conflicts between wolves and livestock, including compensation for livestock producers. The plan is to release 30 to 50 wolves over the next three to five years.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has released five wolves in an undisclosed location in Grand County as part of a reintroduction program approved by voters. The wolves, captured in Oregon, include two juvenile males, two juvenile females, and one adult male. They were fitted with tracking radio collars and given numerical names. This release marks the first step in a plan to reintroduce 10 to 15 wolves into the state by mid-March 2024. The reintroduction effort, which fulfills the will of voters, aims to establish a self-sustaining wolf population in Colorado for the first time in over 80 years.
Colorado has released five gray wolves onto public land in Grand County as part of a controversial reintroduction program. The plan, approved by Colorado voters in 2020, aims to reintroduce 10 to 15 wolves per year for the next 5 to 10 years. Conservationists support the program, while ranchers and rural communities express concerns about the wolves posing a risk to livestock, wildlife, and pets. Lawsuits were filed to delay or stop the program, but the release proceeded as planned. The reintroduction is seen as an effort to restore balance to Colorado's wildlife ecosystem.
