State panel trying to help develop a management plan
By Theo Stein
Lakewood - A state wolf-management panel began a historic attempt Thursday to reconcile overwhelming support for the predator with deep opposition from the state's Western Slope.
The discovery of a dead Yellowstone National Park wolf on I-70 west of Idaho Springs on Saturday has raised the profile of the panel's effort to help develop a plan to manage a species whose resurgence has spawned one of the West's most divisive culture battles.
Wolf experts say more wolves migrating from the booming northern Rockies population are certain to end up in Colorado - if they're not already here.
But Western Slope residents are deeply skeptical of any effort to bring back an animal they believe is a threat to their lifestyle.
"We need a plan, because I have a whole bunch of neighbors in (northwestern Colorado) who will produce their own management plan if you don't," said rancher Les Hampton, a Moffat County commissioner.
State Division of Wildlife officials hope the panel can produce a draft plan by October, in time for public comment and review by the Colorado Wildlife Commission, the legislature and the governor.
But by the end of Thursday's meeting, the first of five, the panel of ranchers, wildlife advocates, sportsmen and elected officials could not agree whether Colorado should allow naturally migrating wolves to live in the state or ship them back to Wyoming.
Hampton said he was astonished that Wolf 293, the Yellowstone wolf found dead along I-70, made it halfway through Colorado without getting into trouble.
"But there are a lot of deer and elk in there, and if they really do key in to big game, then maybe they won't be so much of a problem," he said. "On the other hand, May is calving season. We've got a lot of calves out there, and calves are tasty, too."
Michael Bond, a sportsman and investment banker, said "the majority of Coloradans seem to want to have wolves."
Jessica Wald of the Meridian Institute, which is facilitating the talks, said public comments generated by a series of Division of Wildlife wolf hearings this spring showed 73 percent support wolves in Colorado.
At Thursday's meeting, opponents focused on wolves' economic impact on ranching and hunters. Several doubted that the state would have the money - or the inclination - to keep tight control over wolf populations. Wolf management is expensive because it requires radio collars, monitoring and personnel.
"If we're not going to have tools to manage them when they get here, I can't see opening the door in the first place," said Delta veterinarian Dick Steele, who represents hunters.
The Colorado Wool Growers Association "flat out does not want wolves in this state, and that will be such a hard bridge to build," said Bonnie Kline, the group's executive director.
"The key is to separate our interests from our positions," countered Del Benson, a wildlife biology professor at Colorado State University. "Maybe our plan needs to have a second option in case wolves are too ornery and are decimating livestock and big-game populations, in which case we say, 'Colorado is just too populated for wolves."'
Colorado has no management authority over the gray wolf, which is designated as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. But the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone and Idaho has been so successful that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to delist the predator in the northern Rockies.
That would give Colorado responsibility for wolves north of Interstate 70. Any wolves south of I-70 are considered part of the Mexican wolf recovery area and are fully protected by the Endangered Species Act.
Under current rules, a rancher or pet owner who sees a wolf attacking an animal may kill it.
The delisting process is stalled because of a dispute between the federal agency and Wyoming, which wants wolves to be shot on sight outside of the northwest part of the state. Wyoming has sued the federal government over the issue, but Bruce McClosky, acting director of the state Division of Wildlife, said he expects the issue will be resolved and wolves delisted soon.
By Theo Stein
Lakewood - A state wolf-management panel began a historic attempt Thursday to reconcile overwhelming support for the predator with deep opposition from the state's Western Slope.
The discovery of a dead Yellowstone National Park wolf on I-70 west of Idaho Springs on Saturday has raised the profile of the panel's effort to help develop a plan to manage a species whose resurgence has spawned one of the West's most divisive culture battles.
Wolf experts say more wolves migrating from the booming northern Rockies population are certain to end up in Colorado - if they're not already here.
But Western Slope residents are deeply skeptical of any effort to bring back an animal they believe is a threat to their lifestyle.
"We need a plan, because I have a whole bunch of neighbors in (northwestern Colorado) who will produce their own management plan if you don't," said rancher Les Hampton, a Moffat County commissioner.
State Division of Wildlife officials hope the panel can produce a draft plan by October, in time for public comment and review by the Colorado Wildlife Commission, the legislature and the governor.
But by the end of Thursday's meeting, the first of five, the panel of ranchers, wildlife advocates, sportsmen and elected officials could not agree whether Colorado should allow naturally migrating wolves to live in the state or ship them back to Wyoming.
Hampton said he was astonished that Wolf 293, the Yellowstone wolf found dead along I-70, made it halfway through Colorado without getting into trouble.
"But there are a lot of deer and elk in there, and if they really do key in to big game, then maybe they won't be so much of a problem," he said. "On the other hand, May is calving season. We've got a lot of calves out there, and calves are tasty, too."
Michael Bond, a sportsman and investment banker, said "the majority of Coloradans seem to want to have wolves."
Jessica Wald of the Meridian Institute, which is facilitating the talks, said public comments generated by a series of Division of Wildlife wolf hearings this spring showed 73 percent support wolves in Colorado.
At Thursday's meeting, opponents focused on wolves' economic impact on ranching and hunters. Several doubted that the state would have the money - or the inclination - to keep tight control over wolf populations. Wolf management is expensive because it requires radio collars, monitoring and personnel.
"If we're not going to have tools to manage them when they get here, I can't see opening the door in the first place," said Delta veterinarian Dick Steele, who represents hunters.
The Colorado Wool Growers Association "flat out does not want wolves in this state, and that will be such a hard bridge to build," said Bonnie Kline, the group's executive director.
"The key is to separate our interests from our positions," countered Del Benson, a wildlife biology professor at Colorado State University. "Maybe our plan needs to have a second option in case wolves are too ornery and are decimating livestock and big-game populations, in which case we say, 'Colorado is just too populated for wolves."'
Colorado has no management authority over the gray wolf, which is designated as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. But the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone and Idaho has been so successful that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to delist the predator in the northern Rockies.
That would give Colorado responsibility for wolves north of Interstate 70. Any wolves south of I-70 are considered part of the Mexican wolf recovery area and are fully protected by the Endangered Species Act.
Under current rules, a rancher or pet owner who sees a wolf attacking an animal may kill it.
The delisting process is stalled because of a dispute between the federal agency and Wyoming, which wants wolves to be shot on sight outside of the northwest part of the state. Wyoming has sued the federal government over the issue, but Bruce McClosky, acting director of the state Division of Wildlife, said he expects the issue will be resolved and wolves delisted soon.
