With wolves already in Colorado, Routt County ranchers oppose reintroduction

Proposed legislation to reintroduce wolves to Colorado has received opposition from Routt County ranchers and raised concerns among the area’s state representative. This comes more than a week after wildlife officials confirmed the presence of at least six gray wolves in Moffat County. Gov. Jared Polis said it likely is the first wolf pack to inhabit Colorado since the 1930s.  News of the pack spurred Sen. Kerry Donovan, D-Vail, on Friday to propose a bill to reintroduce gray wolves in western Colorado by 2025. That is two years later than a ballot initiative that will go before voters in November. Both measures would establish a fund to compensate livestock owners for any losses caused by wolves. Despite that provision, many ranchers in and around Steamboat Springs oppose the reintroduction effort, arguing it will add further pressures to their business and is an unnecessary step, given that wolves have made their way naturally into Colorado. Proponents cite the ecological benefits of bringing a predator to restore ecological balance, namely to help curb deer and elk herds. The issue has exacerbated a growing urban-rural divide in the state, with many on the Front Range supportive of the reintroduction effort...MORE