This initiative would end Colorado’s wolf releases. Many rancher groups don’t support it.

From Coloradoan.com:

First, there was a citizen initiative to reintroduce wolves into Colorado that narrowly passed. Then there were two new proposed citizen initiatives to repeal wolf reintroduction. Now there is one. Got all of that?

Confused?

Let’s start here. Proposition 114 was passed by voters 51% to 49% in 2020 to reintroduce wolves. The new measure is Ballot Initiative 13, which calls for repealing what voters approved in 2020 by putting an end to the reintroduction effort. But wait, there’s more.

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California spends millions on gray wolf expansion efforts

From MontanaOutdoor.com:

As California’s gray wolf population grows, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is advancing the state’s management of this species and further supporting communities where they are known to reside.

At the end of 2024, there were seven known wolf packs in the state and four additional areas of known wolf activity. Most of those packs are in northeastern California(opens in new tab), although one is in the southern Sierra Nevada.

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Coloradans Who Oppose Wolf Reintroduction Can’t Agree on How to Try Ending It

From OutdoorLife.com:

A citizen initiative that sought to end Colorado’s controversial wolf reintroduction program the same way it began — by ballot initiative — was rejected by the state’s election officials Wednesday. The Title Board concluded that Initiative 35 will not be allowed to move forward into the signature-gathering phase due to a technicality; it violated the state’s single-subject rule by trying to address too many issues in one go.

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Watch Yellowstone wolf pack hunting bison after death of one-eyed alpha ‘queen’

From LiveScience.com:

On Christmas Day 2024, tragedy struck Yellowstone’s Junction Butte wolf pack. The group’s legendary one-eyed leader, Wolf 907F, died after a confrontation with a rival pack. Now, in a new video, Junction Butte is hunting bison with members of that rival pack — albeit unsuccessfully.

Julie Argyle, a wildlife photographer and conservationist, filmed the Junction Butte gray wolves (Canis lupus) chasing two bison (Bison bison) as they attempted to separate a yearling calf from its mother, Cowboy State Daily reported.

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Oregon wolf population surpasses 200 for first time in 8 decades

From IJPR.org:

Oregon wildlife officials counted more gray wolves than ever last winter, a promising sign for the federally endangered species.

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife staff counted 204 wolves in December, a 15% increase from the year before, according to the agency’s annual wolf report published last week.

Washington wildlife officials also released their annual wolf report last week. They counted 230 gray wolves in that state — a 9% drop from the year before, and Washington’s first population decrease since this native animal species returned nearly two decades ago.

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This U.S. State [Alaska] Has the Highest Concentration of Wolves

From Newsbreak.com:

Alaska stands as the undisputed leader in wolf population density among all U.S. states. With an estimated 7,000 to 11,000 wolves roaming its vast wilderness, Alaska hosts approximately 65% of America’s entire wolf population. This remarkable concentration is no accident—it’s the result of extensive habitat preservation, relatively limited human development, and wildlife management policies that have allowed wolves to maintain healthy populations across the state.

While other states like Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan have worked to restore wolf populations in recent decades, none come close to matching Alaska’s wolf numbers or density per square mile of suitable habitat.

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Alaska Wildlife Alliance Files Petition To Challenge State’s Controversial Predator Control Process

From AKSportingJournal.com:

One of the most controversial topics around Alaska these days is the on-again, off-again, on-again Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s predator control process that would eliminate bears, wolves and other predators in an attempt to protect caribou herds. But the system has been opposed vehemently by some conservation and environmental groups, which won a court battle when a judge ruled the system was unconstitutional, though an Alaska Board of Game ruling has temporarily authorized the state to proceed.

Now, an Alaska environmental group is taking legal action against the state.

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Siskiyou County [California] Sheriff, Board of Supervisors push for protection against gray wolves

From KDRV.com:

SISKIYOU COUNTY, Calif. – The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office and Board of Supervisors are calling on California lawmakers and the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife to protect residents and livestock against potential attacks by gray wolves.

In a letter published Wednesday, April 16, Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue said sightings of gray wolves in public areas in the county have become more common.

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Colorado coalition of hunters, anglers opposes 2026 wolf reintroduction repeal efforts

From ColoradoPolitics.com:

The state’s most prominent coalition of hunters, anglers, and wildlife conservation groups announced today that it will formally oppose initiative #35, the 2026 proposal that would repeal most of the state’s wolf reintroduction program.

The Colorado Wildlife Conservation Project includes 22 different organizations, including Ducks Unlimited, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management (which led opposition to last year’s Proposition 127) and Safari Club International, which this week settled a lawsuit with Colorado Parks and Wildlife over two CPW commissioners who authored an opinion piece in support of Prop 127, which led to claims the commissioners violated the state’s open meetings law, a claim they deny.

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