Recent livestock depredations by gray wolves in two northern Colorado counties were expected. Predation by carnivores is familiar, and ranchers are already dealing with predation on livestock by bears, cougars, and coyotes and understand what livestock loss means from other factors. Disease, weather, and calving problems also take their toll every year.
Yet, losses to wolves and other carnivores hit individual ranchers hard.
Exactly how prepared we are for wolves is debatable. Many in Western Slope counties decried the trust-breaking release of wolves as being shrouded in secrecy and chastised Colorado Parks and Wildlife, or CPW, for its selection of wolves from livestock-familiar packs in Oregon. With recent attacks, some Colorado producers feel betrayed and are calling for the lethal removal of offending wolves.
However, CPW personnel, wildlife advocates, and ranchers not only have been preparing for wolves since before the CPW commission approved the wolf management plan but have been collaborating with Colorado ranchers by providing information, conflict prevention tools, funding and other support.
Although wolf advocates and ranchers might appear to be unlikely allies, together we represent the possibilities born from collaboration, not conflict. A promising path forward is emerging that reflects the combined efforts of livestock producers, CPW and wolf advocates, and it will contribute to the successful restoration and management of gray wolves in Colorado.
For instance, a diverse community has pulled together in North Park to install conflict prevention tools, like fladry, which is a line of bright flags, and provide other support to individual ranchers. We came together to pound posts and string fladry together on snow-covered fields to support landowners, and hopefully tolerance.
What has united us is the common desire to support ranching livelihoods during and beyond calving season, while embracing the opportunity to build community. What has bound us together is respect for each other and a belief in collaboration. This unique collaboration among diverse interests to foster goodwill and trust may seem like an extraordinary event, but kindness and consideration should not be shocking to anyone.
Ranchers and wolf advocates want to minimize livestock losses. Building tolerance now is imperative if wolves will be afforded the opportunity to fulfill their ecological role while we collaborate with ranchers to preserve ever-dwindling wild places.
Viewing these depredation events as opportunity instead of disaster means that we can prepare for the long-term presence of wolves in Colorado. We need to build community around the shared goal of minimizing conflict with livestock and focus on programs to prevent conflict.
In 2023, CPW installed over five miles of fladry on four locations, installed fox lights on eight properties, used cracker shells to haze wolves in North Park and conducted more than a dozen meetings with producers and the public specific to conflict mitigation.
So far this year, CPW has installed over five miles of fladry on four properties, deployed 60 fox lights in 13 locations, deployed 10 scare devices, issued four hazing permits, outfitted four storehouses with conflict reduction tools throughout the state with four more anticipated by the fall. CPW is also hiring wildlife conflict coordinators for the state.
Others — such as the Colorado Department of Agriculture, USDA’s Wildlife Services and nonprofits including the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project, Defenders of Wildlife, Working Circle and Western Landowners Alliance — are showing up. Already, the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project has generated over $260,000 through its Born to Be Wild specialty license plate, which raises funds to support ranchers with the tools and expertise to reduce conflicts with wolves. Grants through the Natural Resources Conservation Service will be available to support range riding, carcass management and electric fencing programs in the state.
The number of ranchers who are engaging in conflict minimization is growing. Such practices include grazing management, low-stress herding, range riding, fladry, night penning and livestock guardian dogs. Ranchers need not be victims or powerless bystanders. These measures require effort, but earnest effort is all that we can ask as we learn to live with wolves.
Moving forward with a wolf management plan that defines success through collaboration offers us a roadmap for the successful management of all wildlife species. There are many of us in this state who are willing to work together, so let us start talking about the good stories too.
These collaborations may just mark the beginning of mutual respect, tolerance and the acceptance that wolves and people desperately need.
Philip Anderson of Walden is a past president of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association and lives on his family’s ranch.
Courtney Vail of Rico is a wildlife biologist and serves on the board of directors of the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project.
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