Wolverines to return to Colorado in new government restoration plans
The species is native to the state, but they were wiped out in the early 1900s by trappers.
Wolverines are to return to Colorado under new government plans to restore the species to the state.
The animals are native to Colorado, but their population was wiped out back in the early 1990s by trapping and poisoning.
Now, Colorado Governor Jared Polis today (May 20) signed into law a bill to reintroduce wolverines to the state.
The legislation will see $750,000 from the Species Conservation Trust Fund allocated to the restoration effort.
“This law is a first step towards restoring native wolverines to Colorado’s high mountain habitat, righting a century-old wrong,” said Alli Henderson, southern Rockies director at the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the many groups that supported the legislative effort.
Wolverines were recently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, following more than a decade of advocacy from wildlife and conservation groups who were calling for more protections for the species.
“We only have about 325 wolverines left in the lower 48 states, so this bill is a vital lifeline for these tenacious animals,” explains Henderson. “We’re hopeful that wolverines will soon be thriving in their native high alpine habitat. With climate change pressures pushing them further to the brink, this reintroduction can't come soon enough.”
Henderson’s comments on climate change pressures refer to how warming temperatures have contributed to a decrease in snowpack across wolverines’ current and lower elevation ranges in North America. This decrease makes the pristine high alpine habitat of Colorado an even more important resource for helping wolverine populations to thrive.
Under the new bill, the restoration plans will begin with Colorado Parks and Wildlife reintroducing 30 female and 15 male wolverines over a three-year period.
The Fight to Conserve America’s Iconic Wildlife
Colorado’s reintroduction of the wolverine is one of several recent victories for conservation groups who have been fighting for reintroduction plans and increased protections for endangered species across the country.
Just last month, federal agencies announced an ambitious restoration program that will reintroduce grizzly bears to their natural home in the North Cascades ecosystem. The species had once thrived in the region for thousands of years and played a key part in the ecosystem, but the bears were wiped out during the 20th century by hunters who wanted the animal’s fur.
However, the fight to protect America’s wildlife is facing many challenges too. Wolves, in particular, are suffering from harsh rulings and laws that seek to limit their populations.
The latest setback for wolves saw the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service deny gray wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains federal protections. The ruling, which was announced earlier this year, meant that the species would not be relisted under the Endangered Species Act. Without such protection, current state laws will once again enable trophy hunters, trappers, and predator control agents to kill wolves and in turn push the population closer to extinction.
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