
After a west Colorado rancher reported his suspicion that wolves had been on his land, rumor quickly spread among local residents.
It has not yet been confirmed if a pack of wolves has indeed found a new home at High Lonesome Ranch in De Beque, Colo., but locals are concerned, considering that wolves haven’t resided in the state for over 70 years.
While wolves were exterminated from the state in 1940, the occasional lone wolf has been known to wander in from the Northern Rockies from time to time.
Two years ago when High Lonesome Ranch owner Paul R. Vahldiek Jr. hired experts to survey his land, the results were a bit shocking: the biologists found evidence of more than one wolf (droppings, sightings, howling, etc.).
Vahldiek ordered a DNA analysis, in order to discern whether the scat came from a wolf or a wolf-dog hybrid. But even if it is indeed wolf poop, that doesn’t necessarily mean that a pack has taken up residence. Ed Bangs, wolf recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, told the LA Times:
“Wolf packs don’t let you miss them. They’re incredibly obvious.”
Some see the potential wolf-invaders as a positive change. Vahldiek suggested that it might be good for the ecosystem, and groups like the WildEarth Guardians have been fighting for wolf recovery in Colorado for years.
Yet ranchers are fearful. One such rancher, Joe Latham, worries that even if the present claims prove fruitless, that a pack will eventually move in. He said:
“Then you got 2,000 wolves, and they’re eating the elk and deer and livestock…If Paul Vahldiek wants them, he needs to build a fence around his ranch, but I don’t want them. Colorado’s got way too many people. There’s no room for wolves.”
Wolves are currently listed as an endangered species in Colorado, protecting them from hunting and trapping.
[Via: LA Times]
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