Wolf advocates raise concerns about reintroduction plan in Colorado

DIVIDE, Colo. (KRDO) -- Thursday, Jan. 19 Colorado Parks and Wildlife commissioners are holding a public comment meeting in Colorado Springs following the release of the draft wolf reintroduction plan in December.

The plan is put together on a phased approach. There's phases 1 through 3. But phase 4 is concerning among wolf advocates. It may reclassify wolves as a game species, allowing them to be hunted and trapped both commercially and recreationally. Which is not what citizens voted for.

"It was the people that voted to have the wolves back here," Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center CEO and Founder Darlene Kobobel. "Now that they're gonna come back here, we didn't want the wolves here to be killed recreational to where they have a season where we can go out and trophy hunt them. That's not what we want to do and Colorado is better than that. We should be a role model for other states to show the respect we have for our wildlife."

CPW plans to reintroduce 30 to 50 wolves over the next 3 to 5 years onto state and cooperating private lands. The selected areas will be west of the continental divide. The wolves will come from the northern rockies.

"If the right measures are put in place to protect the wolves I think it would be great for the wildlife out here," Daphne Mutchler said. "I'm very much for the conservation of endangered wildlife."

In phase 1, wolves would get re-classified from endangered to highly threatened. But currently in the draft, in phase 4 once there are 150 wolves, they can be re-classified as game.

"It's all in phases, and once they get to 150 wolves which isn't very many, that's when they may want to reclassify, and thats where we're saying no we need to delete phase 4 altogether," Kobobel said. "When there were meetings through these 18 months myself with the stakeholders advisory group, we walked away from the last meeting, we thought it was something that was tabled. It was too premature to go there. Now this language has popped back up in there, and that's the one we're concerned about. They're not taking into consideration if these animals get manged, hit by cars, poached. There's so many things that can happen out there that can disrupt the whole pack. They need a more sustainable amount in order to make it successful."

CPW Wildlife Officers recently attended an investigation and training event in Wyoming studying wolf-livestock depredations to better prepare for the reintroduction.

Before the reintroduction begins, CPW will visit the ranchers and make sure each ranch's needs are met so everyone is prepared.

"There are ways to coexist together, it has been done with other ranches," Kobobel said. "There's non-lethal deterrents with conflict management out there. CPW is willing to help ranchers to be able to implement these practices. There's everything from range riding to fladgery to fox lights."

In the plan, ranchers will be compensated up to $8,000 for full market value per animal in case of depredation. As well as for missing livestock.

"We're excited about getting wolves back into Colorado because its been about 80 years since they've been here and they are native to our state," Kobobel said. "We do need them here because they serve a great purpose. They help to balance the overpopulation of deer and elk and things like chronic waste disease. So they're very important to our ecosystem here."

"I'm so glad they're coming back and I'd love them to stay here for a long time, as long as possible," Apolline Plomtux said. "I've loved wolves my whole life and I've always wanted to see one out in the wild."

To voice your opinion on wolves, there will be 2 public speaking times in Colorado Springs on Thursday Jan. 19. from 11-12 and 1-2. It will be located at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort on 3225 Broadmoor Valley Rd.

If you want to speak, arrive by 7:30 a.m. to sign up as space is first come first serve.

Public comment begins at 11 a.m. and goes until 2 p.m. if you want to attend but not speak.

There are three more meetings through Feb. 22 throughout the state. More information can be found on the CPW website.