Wildlife officials craft rules on wolves
State prepares for future wanderers
By Gary Gerhardt, Rocky Mountain News
September 11, 2003
LAMAR – State wildlife officers now have official guidelines governing
what to do if wild wolves wander into Colorado from Wyoming or New Mexico.
At the Colorado Wildlife Commission meeting Wednesday, Wildlife Division
Director Russ George said the commission and the legislature have banned
reintroduction of wolves in Colorado.
However, with Mexican wolves being reintroduced in New Mexico and wolf
packs in Yellowstone National Park expanding, it was deemed wise to know
what to do if one showed up here.
“One wolf was seen in Rock Springs (Wyo.), which is 70 miles from our
state line, although the closest pack is near Pinedale (Wyo.), which is
150 miles away,” George said.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers wolves north of Interstate 70
a threatened species, and any south of there are considered endangered.
Endangered species get more protection.
George said there have been various calls to DOW personnel from residents
regarding potential sightings of wolves.
The areas with the greatest chance of wild wolf occurrences in southern
Colorado are west of U.S. 285 and south of U.S. 50 in Montezuma, La Plata,
Archuleta, Conejos, Dolores, San Juan, Hinsdale, Mineral and Rio Grande
counties.
North of I-70, they may be in Moffat, Routt, Rio Blanco and Jackson
counties.
Wildlife managers have adopted the following actions to be taken if an
animal that appears to be a wild wolf is reported:
report, notify federal wildlife depredation officials and be responsible
for any follow-up actions, including putting out information about wolf
biology,
identification, behavior and possible responses.
officials will be notified.
federal officials will be called in and a complete investigation will be
conducted.
“We already have wolves near Chama in New Mexico and in Antonito on our
side of the line,” said Commissioner Olive Valdez, a southern Colorado
rancher. “People have seen them, but nothing has been done about it.”