Earth Protect Blog

Who can blame the residents of Walden for feeling nervous – and a little bitter – about the gray wolf who moved into their community in 2019 and had a litter in 2021.

So far three cows and two dogs have been killed by the small pack, and the toll on pets and livestock will only get worse as the pack grows, other wolves move south from Wyoming, and the state begins the formal reintroduction process. And while attacks on small children or even adults are unlikely, it is not irrational to fear the unpredictable actions of an apex predator in the wild.

The Denver Post’s Conrad Swanson traveled to Walden to report on the growing unease among the first Coloradans to live with a wild wolf population in eight decades.

“The wolves know where our cows are,” said Kim Gittleson who has already had two cows killed and one injured by the pack. “It’s like we’re their grocery store.”

It is painfully obvious from Swanson’s story that Colorado is woefully unprepared for a large population of wolves to enter the state, despite a 2020 ballot question that mandated the reintroduction of wolves beginning in 2023. With two years to prepare, the state hasn’t taken basic steps to provide for those most likely to be harmed by the reintroduction.

The Denver Post editorial board supported the 2020 ballot question, writing before the election that we found evidence from Yellowstone compelling. The benefit to our ecosystem of adding wolves would outweigh the harm caused to ranchers.

But, a huge condition of our support was the proper management of our wild animal populations.

Colorado is no longer an ecosystem that can be put on autopilot and expected to thrive. Too disjointed are our habitats with too many nearby residents and too many threats to wildlife. Management of populations is essential.

Colorado lawmakers must act in 2022 to prepare for reintroduction in 2023.

The state must tweak the language in the law so that the money allocated every year for livestock killed by wildlife also includes wolf kills, and lawmakers must be prepared to fully fund the program if livestock claims exceed the $1.2 million currently allocated.

A law allowing very aggressive hazing of gray wolves so they will fear humans and leave cattle alone is necessary. Thankfully the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission gave ranchers permission to haze wolves last month, however, we think a law exempting ranchers from accidentally injuring or killing a wolf would be appropriate, as ranchers did not ask for this added responsibility. If wildlife managers are truly concerned that ranchers will injure or kill too many wolves then, they should be out on this land managing the packs themselves. Ranchers should be given a tax credit to reimburse them for 100% of the cost of hazing tools.

Colorado law also should be amended so that a rancher who has documented repeated loss of livestock or working animals can apply for a permit to kill an aggressive wolf on his or her property and give the carcass to Parks and Wildlife.

We admire Regin and Tanya Fletcher’s willingness to live with the wolves on their land, which is near the Atencio ranch. We cannot imagine how much they worry for the safety of their daughter who uses a wheelchair and would be especially vulnerable to a wolf pack that didn’t fear humans.

Colorado lawmakers have one chance to get this right for rural Colorado in advance of wolves being introduced. In a way, the wolf pack near Walden is a gift to prepare us for the real thing.