In a decisive move, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission voted on a 10 - 1 majority to deny a citizen petition that sought to postpone the reintroduction of gray wolves, a decision that took the upper hand during the commission's recent session in Denver. Advocates for a delay cited seven conditions they believed warranted a closer look, but it became clear that these concerns had already been tackled head-on by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), and were thoroughly reviewed at the meeting.
The Commission was unperturbed, its members finding no reason to indulge in further rulemaking, given that each and every one of the petitioners' conditions had been met by CPW's efforts, a point driven home in the meeting discussions. At the forefront of this strategy is the formation of a statewide range rider program, slated for an early 2025 launch, as per Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Staffers from CPW and the Colorado Department of Agriculture will receive specialized training to act swiftly in response to farmers' needs concerning wolves.
A robust response to wolf-related incidents is also established, with CPW outlining five-tiered response criteria to guide field staff in managing wolf conflicts proactively, or reactively. This plan's effectiveness relies on matching the response to the severity of the situation, thus optimizing the use of time and resources. To further minimize conflict between wolves and livestock, CPW has an array of non-lethal strategies and continues to seek out innovative measures in this domain.
CPW underscores the importance of site assessments, offered for free, to identify and pinpoint non-lethal strategies that are the best fit for each operation. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the process has been recently updated and formalized. The department has a clear definition in place for "chronic depredation," which sets the ground rules for when lethal control might be considered and is actively working on carcass management in collaboration with various stakeholders.
Communication is also a key element of the strategy, with CPW holding educational workshops and meetings with local communities, officials, and producers to facilitate open dialogue on wolf reintroduction and coexistence. As obtained by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Jeff Davis, the Director of CPW, said in a statement, "This decision affirms everything our agency and its partners have already been focused on regarding the conditions in the petition. We’ve been listening to and working with all stakeholders in this historic restoration effort." He added that outcomes were evident in the improved Conflict Minimization Program, enhanced staff support, and guidelines for producers.
