Colorado to Release Wolves — Rural Residents Furious
CONSERVATION
Colorado will release 5–10 gray wolves onto western rangeland before year’s end under a 2020 ballot mandate. Ranchers say urban voters forced predators onto rural families and warn livestock will be killed. Wildlife officials call losses “inevitable” and environmental groups say it’s long-overdue restoration.
DENVER — Colorado wildlife officials are preparing to release the first group of gray wolves onto state land within days, triggering a major backlash from ranchers and rural residents who say the state is forcing predators into their communities with no plan to protect livestock.¹
The release is part of a 2020 ballot initiative requiring wolf reintroduction by the end of 2025. Officials confirmed this week that 5 to 10 wolves will be released before December 31, with more planned in 2026.²
Ranchers Call It a Threat to Their Way of Life
Ranching groups say the state ignored their concerns and pushed ahead anyway.
“People in Denver voted to dump wolves on us,” one Moffat County cattleman told local reporters. “They don’t care if our calves get torn apart.”
Multiple livestock groups have already filed or threatened lawsuits.
State Response
Colorado Parks and Wildlife says wolves are native to the region and will be managed under a federally approved plan that includes compensation for livestock losses.
Compensation requires proof of wolf predation, something ranchers say is nearly impossible on open-range land.
Environmental Groups Claim Victory
Wildlife advocates argue the state is simply restoring a species wiped out by humans.
“The opposition always exaggerates,” a Rocky Mountain Wolf Project spokesperson said. “Wolves belong here. They regulate elk herds and restore ecosystems.”
Tribal Concerns
Some Ute and Arapaho representatives say they were not properly consulted and warn that wolf management could affect treaty rights.
Other tribes support the reintroduction, calling wolves culturally significant.
What Happens Next
The first wolves will be released onto public land in western Colorado.
State officials admit they expect early livestock losses, calling them “inevitable.”
Ranchers have already said they will protect their herds “by any means necessary,” setting up a direct collision between rural residents, state wildlife officers, and federal law.