Colorado reintroduced gray wolves (Canis lupus) to the state last December. Now as Colorado wolves begin to eat livestock one wonders about the future of the controversial reintroduction.
According to SkyHighNews wolves have killed just over one dozen head of livestock since the return of the wolves to the state. Colorado wildlife authorities are aware of the anger against the return of the predators. They have been closely monitoring the wolves and even mapping their movements for the public. SkyHighNews is a news outlet serving Grand County, Colorado.
Sheep have been among the livestock killed in Colorado.
The wolves were brought back into the state after a hotly fought ballot initiative resulted in a win for reintroduction. Colorado wildlife authorities are investigating the killings. They have been sensitive to public concerns. They maintain a map locating generalized wolf activity.
Wolf reintroduction has pitted mainly urban wolf conservationists against mostly rural ranchers, farmers and other livestock iterests.
The problem remains that wolves are predators and do kill livestock. How to evaluate and compensate losses remains an issue.
As Colorado wolves begin to eat livestock the issue. Is heating up. Colorado wildlife biologists are in the middle of the contesting factions. Wolves have been slowly moving back into old habitats since the 1970s. Opposition remains fierce, however. Wolves have been poisoned in Oregon and California. The battle is not confined to the United States. Successful reintroduction in Italy has resulted in retaliation.
The rancher faction is not without evidence. As a recent post of ours noted French authorities estimate wolves kill 15,000 head of livestock annually.