U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service issues final decision on Colorado's reintroduction of gray wolves
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service on Tuesday issued its final "record of decision" regarding Colorado's reintroduction of gray wolves.
The final decision, known as a 10(j) rule under the Endangered Species Act, will go into effect in 30 days, on Dec. 8, 2023. Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which recently announced they would get 10 wolves from Oregon, will bring those wolves onto public lands in an area bordered by Glenwood Springs and Vail on the north and Aspen on the south. The parks reintroduction plan calls for 30 to 50 wolves to be reintroduced over the next three to five years.
The green areas show the most suitable locations for wolf reintroduction, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife wolf reintroduction plan. CPW plans to start with the north circled area.
The state had sought private lands, in addition to state-owned land, for reintroduction, but got no takers from private landowners.
Sen. John Hickenlooper announced the final record of decision Tuesday, saying "This final rule respects the will of Colorado voters, farmers, ranchers, and conservationists, and sets our state up for responsible gray wolf reintroduction."
“It is encouraging to see the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the State of Colorado making progress towards fulfilling Colorado’s commitment to return meaningful gray wolf populations to the State,” said Michael Saul, Rockies and Plains field director for Defenders of Wildlife. “The return of the wolf to Colorado has the potential to be an historic ecological success, but the restoration program will require careful scientific monitoring and commitment by all stakeholders to ensure wolves and humans can share the landscape, and to give returning wolves a real chance to thrive and transform ecosystems.”