What are the
Facts?
The Wolf Forum of the
Southern Rockies was created to provide citizens of the region with
science-based information and access to the various arguments for and against
the wolf's return. Here are brief answers to a few frequently asked
questions.
Wolves and
Livestock
Wolves
usually seek out traditional prey species, such as elk and deer. However, some
wolves learn to kill domestic livestock. Though the documented overall loss of
livestock to wolves is small (maximum of 0.0367%), it can be difficult to
document a wolf kill. Any loss represents an economic hardship to individual
ranchers. Ranchers may need to employ additional management efforts, at
additional expense, to minimize depredations on their livestock. The non-profit
organization Defenders of Wildlife has developed programs to financially
compensate ranchers for verified losses due to wolves and to limit losses by
helping fund proactive management efforts.
Wolves and Wildlife
Without wolves, elk and deer tend to become
sedentary and then can have significant negative impacts on the local
vegetation, denuding trees and suppressing regrowth in the area. Studies in
Yellowstone have shown that in the presence of wolves, deer and elk keep moving
and areas that were previously degraded have a chance to regenerate. Colorado
has the largest elk herd in North America. The Division of Wildlife states that
the herd remains too large for the range to support despite increases in
hunting opportunities. Wolves can reduce herd size locally, which may
negatively impact hunting and hence the local economy. Wolves can also have a
negative impact on the populations of smaller carnivores such as
coyotes.
Wolves
and Property Rights
It is possible that areas around release sites or den sites might
have temporary restricted access. There have been no other restrictions placed
on land use for either private or public property associated with the
reintroduction of wolves.
Public
Attitudes
Over the
past ten years several polls have been conducted to gauge the level of support
for the reintroduction of wolves into the Southern Rockies. Though the majority
of people live in urban areas, in every study a majority of the respondents
favored the reintroduction of wolves. In a 1993 Colorado poll, 71% of
respondents indicated they would vote for reintroducing wolves. In a 2001 poll
of registered voters in Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona, 64% of respondents
supported the idea of wolf reintroductions into the southern Rocky
Mountains.
Government Position In April 2003 the United States
Fish and Wildlife Service changed the status of Gray Wolves from Endangered to
Threatened for two of the three Distinct Population Segments (DPSs) in the
lower 48 states. Wolves in the Southwestern DPS, which includes the Southern
Rockies, still retain the Endangered status. A recovery plan for this area is
under development and will direct any future reintroductions in this area. The
Colorado Wildlife Commission passed a resolution in 1989 opposing the
reintroduction of wolves to Colorado. The resolution stated that "with the
appropriate review by the agricultural community and the public, that the
Wildlife Commission can review its opposition at that
time"
Wolves
and Human Threat In very rare cases, attacks on humans by healthy, wild
wolves have occurred. Most involve wolves that have been habituated by humans.
Wolves may attack domestic dogs. |
