Colorado passed a wolf reintroduction plan in November 2020, and 10 wolves were reintroduced into the state in December 2023.
Opponents are now trying to stop this reintroduction plan, the Denver Post reported. But with only about a fifth of the necessary signatures to bring the reintroduction back for another vote, the opposition is struggling to find traction.
What’s happening?
The Colorado Advocates for Smart Wolf Policy is trying to get another vote for the wolf reintroduction bill on the 2026 ballot.
According to the group’s website, its aim is to end wolf reintroduction and “to protect the interests of Coloradans affected by wolf reintroduction, including ranchers, farmers, sportsmen, hunters, and guides.”
As the Denver Post reported, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department has faced opposition to reintroduction efforts in January and August of this year, but the 2020 vote still holds.
Many ranchers have been against the wolf repopulation. In December 2024, ranchers demanded that the Colorado Parks and Wildlife service move a pack of young wolf pups, descended from the 10 original reintroduced wolves the year prior.
The Colorado Sun released a poll in September that broke down the support of wolf reintroduction: 53% supported it, 37% opposed it, and 10% were unsure.
Why is gray wolf conservation important?
Gray wolves are listed as threatened in Minnesota and endangered in the other 47 contiguous United States.
Gray wolves are a keystone species, meaning that an ecosystem would drastically shift if they were to be removed. In the 1940s, wolves were largely removed from Colorado through a mix of human activities, including hunting.
However, gray wolves are crucial to ecosystems, ensuring that populations remain balanced through their own hunting.
For example, when wolves were killed off in Yellowstone National Park, elk populations boomed, changing their movement patterns and eating patterns, which had effects that cascaded throughout the ecosystem.
What’s being done about the wolf reintroduction project?
Opposition is likely to continue. The gray wolf is listed as an endangered species, so state wildlife officials maintain the authority to conserve the species within state lines.
Congresswoman Lauren Boebert introduced a bill to remove the gray wolf from the endangered species list, which would alter how states manage their endangered species.
“Obviously, there’s been controversy,” said Jim Pribyl, Chair of Colorado Nature Action, per the Denver Post. “But people need to be mindful of the success story of the program.”
Despite the opposition in Colorado, gray wolf populations are on the rise around the country. Oregon’s gray wolf population saw a 15% increase in 2024. California’s gray wolf population doubled in 2024.
According to the Denver Post, there are currently 21 wolves from this project in Colorado, with 10 new wolf pups born this summer.
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