Voter passage of Proposition 114 in the 2020 election was not a biological decision, as alleged in the opinion essay, “Polis can correct Colorado’s bad wolf-reintroduction bet” (Oct. 31, Colorado Politics), which contains a series of false and unproven statements.
It was a policy decision mandating the restoration of a native species, the gray wolf, which was eradicated from the state by human actions more than 75 years ago. Proposition 114 didn’t address biological decisions, such as how many wolves would eventually be needed to constitute a “self-sustaining population” as mandated by state law. Those biological decisions are left to the professionals in Colorado Parks and Wildlife, aided by guidance from CPW’s Wolf Management Technical Working Group.
It’s not clear what the voters were purportedly “sold”; the implication is they were lied to – they weren’t.
The Colorado State University study cited in the article is not definitive but has generated lively debate in the wildlife biological community, with scientists reaching very different interpretations about the Yellowstone wolf reintroduction experience. In part, the CSU study notes the removal of wolves from Yellowstone National Park substantially altered the park’s ecological processes and restoring wolves would aid nature’s balance.
Development of the state’s Wolf Restoration and Management Plan was hardly “hasty” as claimed by the essay’s authors.
From early 2021 through all of 2022, CPW hosted 47 stakeholder meetings statewide, with more than 3,400 participants. Recommendations came from 18 months of meetings of the 17-member Stakeholder Advisory Group (on which I served) and 18 months of meetings of the Technical Advisory Group.
That input was used to draft the plan, followed by multiple meetings of the CPW commission, to hear public comments about the draft plan and incorporate commission input. The plan was finally approved in May 2023.
The claim “dozens” of cattle and sheep have been killed by wolves is misleading; since the first wolves were released in December 2023, 17 cattle and nine sheep have been confirmed to have been killed by wolves. Proposition 114 mandated a robust compensation program for ranchers who lose livestock to predators modeled after existing compensation programs in place for bear and mountain lion predation.
Nobody denies the presence of predators can cause stress for cattle, but we also know stress can be substantially reduced when cattle are managed to respond by standing their ground rather than running in panic. And cattle have learned to do exactly that in multiple places across the world and in the western U.S.
It’s true Proposition 114 was supported by a minority of rural voters, about 38% in Western Slope counties. But the flip side is also true, it was supported by a strong majority of non-rural voters, and those votes are equally valid. Opinions of rural and urban voters often vary on tax and spending policy, health care and regulatory issues as well.
Lastly, the authors call the restoration “ill-advised,” with no evidence other than their personal opinions.
Gray wolf restoration is moving forward in Colorado, thanks to efforts by the Legislature and CPW, including:
- Adequate funding being in place thanks to bipartisan legislation and other funding streams.
- CPW strengthening conflict reduction efforts through outreach, education and mitigation programs to equip ranchers with tools to manage wolf interactions.
- CPW providing tailored tactics and community solutions, including fladry and drones, tailored to Colorado’s diverse landscapes.
- An inclusive stakeholder process, defining “chronic depredation.”
Colorado’s Wolf Restoration and Management Plan received the benefit of counsel from our nation’s leading wolf biologists and a diverse group of citizens through CPW’s Stakeholder Advisory Group – on which I served. The plan and restoration process are based on solid biological and constituent input.
The restoration of one of our native species should be viewed as the success it is.
Gary Skiba is a wildlife biologist retired from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. He led the stakeholder group that developed Colorado’s 2004 wolf plan adopted by the CPW commission. He served on the CPW commission, is currently the wildlife program manager with the San Juan Citizens Alliance and is an active hunter. He lives in Durango.
