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My name is Mark Kohn, and I graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Colorado State University in the winter of 2022. I hold a degree in human dimensions of natural resources as well as a minor in international development.

In 2020 voters in Colorado passed Proposition 114 in favor of wolf reintroduction. Passing only with the slimmest of margins, Proposition 114 ensured that Colorado agencies use the best available science to introduce wolves to their historical ranges in Colorado. It has been three years since voters raced to their ballot drop-offs to show support for or opposition to Proposition 114, so where are the wolves?

In short, a commission consisting of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Technical Working Groups and Stakeholder Advisory Groups, among various other agencies, has been drafting a plan to reintroduce gray wolves — Canis lupus — since the passing of Proposition 114. 

In 2022 a draft of this plan was released to the public showing how these groups saw the best way to introduce wolves to Colorado. This released draft was a great starting point but has a few notable problems that should be addressed. Below are some things to think about if you are passionate about wolf reintroduction or wish to learn more.

The delisting threshold should be significantly higher. There is no reason to remove protected status from wolves before there is a self-sustaining population as called for in Proposition 114.

A combination of the best available science indicates that 750 individuals, or 150 packs, should be the minimum for a Colorado population. The numbers in the CPW plan (150/200 to lose protected status) rely on environmental analysis from the northern Rockies from 1994. This information is outdated and not even based on a Colorado-specific analysis. Without protected status, wolves are more likely to be killed.

“Proposition 114 gave Coloradans the opportunity to successfully bring back a keystone species. It is our job as voters to try and put pressure on officials to do everything right the first time. If you wish to address any issues surrounding CPW’s draft plan, comments should be made by Feb. 22.”

The plan should not mention a wolf hunt. There is no scientific justification for a recreational wolf hunt. Indiscriminate wolf killing may increase wildlife-livestock conflict. And Proposition 114 explicitly calls for wolves to be a nongame species. Any mention of a potential hunt is antithetical to the language of Proposition 114 and the values of most Coloradans.

Livestock owners should play a role in coexistence. The plan does not include any requirements for livestock owners to implement coexistence (nonlethal) practices to be eligible for compensation for lost animals. The implementation of some coexistence practices should be mandatory for livestock operators. In addition, CPW should give the necessary tools and education for livestock operators to commit to coexistence practices.

Wolves should not be killed on public lands. As wildlife habitat shrinks globally, public lands are the last and best places for native species to survive. These lands should be a refuge for wolves to reestablish.

The plan should promote restoration throughout the Western Slope. A lack of any geographic element for delisting means that Colorado’s wolf population could inhabit a small, isolated part of Colorado and leave the majority of wolf habitat devoid of a keystone species. CPW should employ zones or units to help restore wolves throughout the Western Slope.

A wolf-killing loophole needs to be closed. The plan states, “Any employee or agent of CPW or USFWS or appropriate state or federal or tribal agency, who is designated in writing, when acting in the course of official duties may take a wolf from the wild if such actions (are) … to avoid conflict with human activities.” This could mean anything and undermines any protections wolves will enjoy. This language needs to be tightened.

Proposition 114 gave Coloradans the opportunity to successfully bring back a keystone species. It is our job as voters to try and put pressure on officials to do everything right the first time. If you wish to address any issues surrounding CPW’s draft plan, comments should be made by Feb. 22, according to their website.

Mark Kohn

CSU graduate, B.S. human dimensions of natural resources

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