[MUSIC] [HOWLING] - WOLVES REPRESENT A KEY ELEMENT OF OUR WILD THAT HAS BEEN MISSING FOR SO LONG.

[HOWLING] - YOU'RE OK. - RUNNING A CATTLE OPERATION IS VOLATILE.

RUNNING A LIVESTOCK OPERATION IS VOLATILE.

- THIS IS OUR LIVELIHOOD.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS HOW WE MAKE MONEY.

ONCE A YEAR, WE GET ONE PAYCHECK.

- OUR ACHILLES HEEL WITH THESE WOLVES ARE OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY TAKE AN ANIMAL'S LIFE.

THAT'S THE OBVIOUS HIT.

- MOST OF THE CONFLICT AROUND WOLVES ISN'T NECESSARILY THE DIRECT CONFLICT BETWEEN PEOPLE AND WOLVES, BUT RATHER IT'S CONFLICT AMONG PEOPLE ABOUT WOLVES.

- WOLVES ARE AMAZING.

THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL.

THEY BELONG HERE.

- YOU CAN'T ARGUE WITH MOTHER EARTH, BUT THE FACT IS SHE FIGURED IT OUT.

- WE'RE ATTRACTED TO LANDSCAPES, THE POWER OF WILD PLACES AND WILD THINGS, AND THERE'S NOTHING WILDER THAN A WOLF.

[MUSIC] - WOLVES DEFINITELY BRING OUT THE FEELINGS.

[CHUCKLES] WE KNEW WE HAD WOLVES HERE BEFORE I HAD A DEAD CALF HERE.

- THE FIRST KILL STARTED OVER THERE.

THERE'S LIKE A HAY ENCLOSURE OVER THERE.

THEY CAUGHT HER OVER THERE, AND THEY CAME CLEAR ACROSS THIS MEADOW, AND THEN THEY ENDED UP KILLING HER OVER HERE AGAINST THIS FENCE.

AND THAT WAS THE FIRST WOLF DEPREDATION IN COLORADO IN, I THINK THEY SAID, 70 YEARS.

- DEPREDATION IS WHEN A WOLF WOULD KILL AND EAT A LIVESTOCK, WHETHER IT'S COWS, OR SHEEP, OR OTHER SPECIES AS WELL.

AND IT'S A BIG ISSUE BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY WOLVES HAVE BEEN ERADICATED, RIGHT?

I MEAN, LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS INTENTIONALLY ERADICATED WOLVES FROM THE WEST.

HISTORICALLY, BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF HUMANS, GRAY WOLVES WERE THE MOST WIDELY DISTRIBUTED LAND MAMMAL ON THE PLANET.

SO, WE KNOW THAT THE GRAY WOLF, CANIS LUPUS, WAS HISTORICALLY NATIVE TO THE STATE OF COLORADO.

IT WAS DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE STATE IN ALL MAJOR HABITAT TYPES.

[HOWLING] - GRAY WOLVES INHABITED THE ENTIRE COLORADO LANDSCAPE.

THEY INHABITED THE ENTIRE LOWER 48 STATES.

THE LITTLE MEXICAN WOLF WAS MORE DOWN IN NEW MEXICO, BUT GRAY WOLVES, TIMBER WOLVES, WERE HERE IN COLORADO.

AND THE MINERS SAW THEM, THE RANCHERS SAW THEM, THE HUNTERS SAW THEM AND SHOT THEM.

[GUNSHOT] IT WAS JUST THIS MASS SLAUGHTER BASED ON THE IDEA OF PROGRESS, BASED ON THE IDEA THAT RANCHERS, FARMERS WERE HERE TO STAY, AND THERE WAS NO PLACE FOR WILD ANIMALS THAT WERE PREDATORS.

- AS HUMANS ARRIVED, THEY STARTED TO ELIMINATE WOLVES.

AND THAT CERTAINLY HAPPENED HERE IN THE UNITED STATES IN THE LOWER 48, AND IT DEFINITELY HAPPENED IN COLORADO AS WELL.

- THIS IMAGE IS OF A WOLF KILLED IN NEWCASTLE.

AND I THINK THIS WAS THE WOLF THAT JUST GOT LONELY AND KEPT COMING BACK TO THE RANCH BECAUSE THE RANCHER HAD A DOG.

AND EVENTUALLY, HE KILLS THE WOLF.

I'M ANDREW GULLIFORD.

I'M A PROFESSOR OF HISTORY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AT FORT LEWIS COLLEGE IN DURANGO AND ONE OF THE EDITORS OF "THE LAST STAND OF THE PACK", WHICH IS A CRITICAL EDITION OF ARTHUR CARHART'S 1929 BOOK ON THE LAST WOLVES KILLED IN COLORADO.

SO, THIS IS REALLY INTERESTING.

LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT WOLF.

I MEAN, ASSUMING THAT'S A TALL PERSON, LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT.

[MUSIC] COLORADO BECOMES A STATE IN 1876.

YOU CAN ENTER ANYWHERE IN THE STATE AND HOMESTEAD LAND.

YOU CAN CLAIM YOUR 160 ACRES, BUILD A LITTLE HOUSE, FENCE IT, FARM IT, TRY AND MAKE A GO EITHER AS A FARMER OR AS A RANCHER.

- FROM THE LATE 1800S ON, BASICALLY ALL OF THE WEST WAS OPEN RANGE.

WE BROUGHT LIVESTOCK FROM EUROPE, PUT IT ON RAIL CARS, AND DUMPED IT OUT HERE.

WHILE AT THE SAME TIME WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH THE REST OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO ELIMINATE BISON, TO SHIP EVERY POSSIBLE ELK AND DEER BACK EAST FOR FOOD AND CLOTHING.

SO, ALL OF THE NATIVE PREY OF WOLVES WAS BEING WIPED OUT AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE WERE PUTTING DOMESTIC LIVESTOCK IN THEIR PLACE.

- SO, THE HUMAN COMPETITION IS INCREASING, THE PRESSURE IN THE RURAL LANDSCAPES IS INCREASING, AND THE PREDATORS ARE REALLY BEING SQUEEZED OUT.

SO FIRST, THERE'S A BOUNTY ON WOLVES BY STOCKMEN.

AND THAT BEGINS EARLY IN THE 1880S, WAY OUT ON THE EASTERN PLAINS IN PROWERS COUNTY IN THE MOUNTAINS.

AND THIS ONE IS WAY OUT THERE IN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY.

SO, THIS IS THATCHER OUT THERE PAST PUEBLO.

SO, IT STARTS AS A STATE BOUNTY.

AND THEN, THE FOREST SERVICE IS CREATED IN 1905.

WE HAVE THE PROGRESSIVE ERA FROM THE 1890S UP THROUGH 1920S, THE BEGINNINGS OF MORE FEDERAL REGULATION OF LAND AND LANDSCAPES.

AND THEN, BY THE EARLY DECADES OF THE 1900S, IT BECOMES FEDERAL POLICY TO ELIMINATE PREDATORS.

AND SO, WE HAVE PROFESSIONAL PAID WOLF KILLERS WHO ARE IN THE STATE AND THEY USE TRAPS, THEY USE POISON, THEY USE GUNS.

SO, HERE'S A WOLF, YOU KNOW, CAUGHT IN A TRAP.

A WOLF BOUNTY COULD GO UPWARDS OF $500 TO $1000 AT A TIME WHEN A WORKING MAN MIGHT MAKE THIRTY DOLLARS A WEEK.

SO, SOME OF THEM LOOKED AT WOLVES AS GREAT ADVERSARIES, AND SOME OF THEM REALLY, AND THEY WROTE ABOUT THIS, DOUBTED WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

[MUSIC] THAT WOLVES WERE NATURAL, AND HERE THEY WERE, THE WOLFERS, INTERFERING WITH THAT.

AND SO, THAT IS A REALLY INTERESTING PART OF THIS SAGA OF ELIMINATING A SPECIES IN COLORADO, BUT AT THE SAME TIME MOURNING THAT LOSS SIMULTANEOUSLY.

CAN I READ MY CAPTION HERE?

"HOW ODD THAT ACROSS COLORADO AND THE WEST, HUNTERS RUTHLESSLY PURSUED WOLVES, YET VALUED THEIR POWER AND PRESENCE ENOUGH TO HAVE THEM MOUNTED, STUFFED, AND THEN PHOTOGRAPHED IN THE SAME MOUNTAIN LANDSCAPES FROM WHICH THEY HAD BEEN EXTIRPATED.” AND THAT'S AN IMAGE OF A WOLF THAT THEY STUFFED, AND THEN TOOK BACK AND PUT IT IN THE LANDSCAPE.

SO, OUR RELATIONSHIP TO WOLVES IS VERY CONFLICTING.

WE SORT OF HONOR THE ANIMAL.

WE RESPECT ITS TEETH.

WE'RE TERRIFIED BY ITS GROWLS, ITS HOWLS.

AND YET, WE DIDN'T RESPECT IT ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN ANY NUMBERS.

- THOSE BIG CARNIVORES, WHETHER THEY BE WOLVES, OR GRIZZLY BEARS, OR POLAR BEARS, MOUNTAIN LIONS, THEY ALL HAVE AN AWE FACTOR.

WHEN IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS FUR, AND CLAWS, AND TEETH, THAT'S SCARY.

THEY ARE MONSTERS, RIGHT?

- AND THAT VITRIOL AND HATRED HAS BECOME SO PREVALENT IN OUR BEHAVIORS AND OUR MANNERISMS, ESPECIALLY BEING RAISED WITH ALL THE SAME FAIRY TALES THAT EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF.

♪ - WHO'S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD WOLF ♪ ♪ BIG BAD WOLF, BIG BAD WOLF ♪ WHO'S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD WOLF ♪ - LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD, THREE LITTLE PIGS, THE BOY WHO CRIED WOLF.

AND SO WE'RE TAUGHT FROM A YOUNG AGE THAT WOLVES ARE THESE TERRIBLE, VICIOUS MONSTERS.

AND OUR GOAL IS TO SHOW PEOPLE THE TRUTH ABOUT THEM AND TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHY THEY HAVE SO MUCH VALUE INTO OUR ECOSYSTEMS.

I'M KELLY MURPHY.

I'M THE ANIMAL CARE SUPERVISOR AND AZA COORDINATOR AT THE COLORADO WOLF AND WILDLIFE CENTER.

[CHUCKLES] HI, BEAUTIFULS.

SO, DENALI IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL LOOKING GRAY WOLF THAT JUST WENT FOR THAT TREAT.

AND RAIN IS THIS BEAUTIFUL BLACK AND SILVER WOLF RIGHT NEXT TO HIM.

WE ARE LOCATED IN DIVIDE, COLORADO, WHICH IS ABOUT 45 MINUTES WEST OF COLORADO SPRINGS.

WE HAVE GRAY WOLVES, MEXICAN GRAY WOLVES, WHICH ARE A SUBSPECIES OF THE GRAY WOLF, ARCTIC WOLVES, WHICH ARE ALSO A SUBSPECIES OF THE GRAY WOLF.

YOU CAN SEE ORENDA IN THE CENTER OF HER ENCLOSURE.

HI, PRETTY GIRL.

SO, WE OFFER EDUCATIONAL TOURS, INTERACTIVE TOURS, DEPENDING ON AGE LEVEL.

AND SO, WE ARE HERE TO CONSERVE THEIR SPECIES, TO PROTECT THEM, AND ENSURE THAT WE ARE EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT THEM.

AND SO, WE HAVE KEYNI AND MAKUEE HERE.

GRAY WOLVES COME IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT COAT COLORS.

THEY CAN BE CREAM LIKE MISS MAKUEE OVER HERE, ALL THE WAY TO BLACK.

AND THEN, AS THEY GET OLDER, IF THEY ARE BLACK PHASED WOLVES LIKE KEYNI HERE, HE'LL START TO SILVER OUT.

SO, THESE ARE SOME WOLVES THAT WE ALSO INTERACT WITH, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR GUESTS.

THEY ARE AMBASSADORS FOR THEIR WILD COUNTERPARTS.

AND EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE IN OUR HUMAN CARE, OFTENTIMES, WE STILL GET TO SEE THE FULL SPECTRUM OF WOLF BEHAVIORS.

WE AIM TO GIVE GUESTS THE BEST EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE.

SO, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY COME OUT OF HERE WITH A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WOLVES, THEIR ECOLOGY, THEIR BEHAVIOR, AND THEIR OVERALL IMPORTANCE INTO OUR ECOSYSTEMS.

- IN MANY SYSTEMS, WOLVES ARE CONSIDERED APEX PREDATORS, MEANING THEY'RE THE TOP DOG, SO TO SPEAK.

AND WHAT MULTIPLE SCIENTIFIC STUDIES HAVE FOUND IS THAT THESE TOP PREDATORS CAN GENERATE RIPPLES THROUGH THE FOOD WEB.

WE CALL THESE TROPHIC CASCADES.

AND SOMETIMES THESE RIPPLES, THESE CASCADES CAN HAVE ECOSYSTEM LEVEL IMPACTS.

- WOLVES ARE A KEYSTONE SPECIES, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY ARE ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAINING THE INTEGRITY AND HEALTH OF OVERALL ECOSYSTEMS.

THEY CAN HELP TO CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR OF DEER AND ELK THAT GOT A LITTLE TOO COMFORTABLE NOT HAVING A BIG PREDATOR ON THE LANDSCAPE.

- THERE'S BEEN MANY STUDIES OF WOLVES, PARTICULARLY IN NATIONAL PARKS LIKE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK, AND THEN BANFF NATIONAL PARK UP IN CANADA.

AND WHAT THESE STUDIES HAVE SUGGESTED IS THAT WOLVES CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT ECOLOGICAL ROLE.

FOR EXAMPLE, THEY CAN REDUCE OVER BROWSING BY VARIOUS BIG GAME SPECIES LIKE ELK, AND DEER, AND MOOSE, WHICH, AS WE KNOW, CAN HELP PROTECT VEGETATION.

- COLORADO HAS OVER 400,000 HEAD OF DEER, OVER 300,000 HEAD OF ELK, THE LARGEST ELK POPULATION IN NORTH AMERICA.

AND SINCE ELK TEND TO BE THE PRIMARY PREY OF WOLVES IN THE WEST, WOLVES HAVE THE CAPACITY TO CHANGE THEIR LOCAL FLORA AND FAUNA COMPOSITION.

- THAT'S THE REAL LESSON FROM YELLOWSTONE IS WOLVES FORCED ELK OUT OF RIPARIAN ZONES AND UP INTO HIGH BENCHES, SAGEBRUSH.

SO, IF THAT HAPPENS IN COLORADO, THEN WE'RE GOING TO SEE A DIFFERENT GROWTH ALONG STREAMS, ALONG RIVERS.

- BUT SCIENCE ALSO TELLS US THAT THE EFFECTS OF WOLVES ARE COMPLEX.

THEY'RE COMPLICATED.

SO, UP IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, IT'S CLEAR NOW THAT WOLVES WEREN'T SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE KINDS OF ECOSYSTEM LEVEL CHANGES THAT WE'VE SEEN IN YELLOWSTONE OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS SINCE WOLF REINTRODUCTION IN THE MID 1990S.

- THERE'S NOW SUBSEQUENT SCIENCE OUT THERE THAT SAYS, "WELL, IT MAY NOT BE AS PROFOUND AS EVERYBODY HAD SAID IT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO BE, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THINGS WERE SO DAMAGED TO BEGIN WITH."

- ALTHOUGH WOLVES MIGHT PLAY AN IMPORTANT TOP DOWN ROLE IN ECOSYSTEMS AND THE REMOVAL OF WOLVES MIGHT CAUSE ECOSYSTEM LEVEL IMPACTS, THE RESTORATION OF WOLVES BACK TO SYSTEMS THAT HAVE BEEN HIGHLY DEGRADED DOESN'T NECESSARILY RESULT IN A QUICK FIX FOR ECOSYSTEMS.

- BUT IF THE REACTION HADN'T BEEN TO COMPLETELY WIPE THEM OUT, WE'D STILL HAVE THEM HERE, AND PEOPLE WOULD HAVE LEARNED WHAT TO DO IN THEIR HUSBANDRY PRACTICES TO MINIMIZE LOSS.

- I THINK THERE'S A REASON WHEN THE SETTLERS CAME OUT HERE THAT THEY GOT RID OF THE APEX PREDATOR.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE RANCHER SEES THEMSELVES AS THE APEX PREDATOR, AND WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S OUR JOB TO MOVE OUR LIVESTOCK AROUND.

I'M SARAJANE SNOWDEN.

I'M CO-OWNER WITH MY HUSBAND OF SNOWDEN CATTLE.

WE PRIMARILY RANCH UP HERE IN NORTHWEST COLORADO, KIND OF THE, ACTUALLY, THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE YAMPA VALLEY.

THIS GROUP STARTED CALVING A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, AND THEY'RE GETTING READY TO GET SOME DAILY FEED.

WE'LL FEED THE COWS UNTIL REALLY, THE GRASS STARTS COMING UP.

THE GRASS REALLY ISN'T PROBABLY STRONG ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN THE COWS UNTIL LATE MAY, EARLY JUNE.

MY HUSBAND AND I, WE BOTH GREW UP IN RANCHING, BUT DIDN'T KIND OF HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND WITH OUR FAMILY, SO WE HAVE JUMPED IN FOR OURSELVES.

- ALL RIGHT.

AND AWAY WE GO TO LOOK FOR MORE BABIES.

I'M TRAVIS SNOWDEN, AND RIGHT NOW, WE'RE JUST WEST OF TOPONAS, COLORADO, LOOKING AT SOME MORE COWS HERE.

RIGHT NOW, WE ARE MID CALVING.

WE'RE ABOUT A MONTH IN.

IF, AND I'M SURE WE WILL, FIND A NEW BABY CALF OUT HERE THAT WAS JUST BORN, WE'LL GET THE MAMA COW'S TAG NUMBER, TRANSFER THAT TO A NEW TAG, AND THEN PUT IT ON THE BABY.

- SO, I GREW UP ON A COW CALF OPERATION THAT ACTUALLY HAS BEEN OWNED BY MY FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS, AND THAT'S PRIMARILY WHAT WE ARE, IS CONSIDERED A COW CALF OPERATION.

AND SO, WE MANAGE THE COW AND WE FOCUS ON THAT CALF FOR THE FIRST SIX TO SEVEN MONTHS OF ITS LIFE.

AND THEN, AT WEANING, THAT BABY IS SOLD TO THE NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS.

- LOOK HERE, WE GOT ANOTHER NEW BABY.

THIS WILL BE MAMA RIGHT HERE.

I BET IF I GRAB THAT BABY-- HEY, BUDDY.

HEY, LITTLE BUDDY.

I'LL GET YOU BACK WITH MAMA IN TWO SECONDS.

THANK YOU.

THERE YOU GO, BUDDY.

JUST LIKE THAT.

PERFECT, LET'S DO IT AGAIN.

- MOUNTAIN RANCHING IS UNIQUE, AND IT'S HARD.

THERE'S DEFINITELY EASIER GROUND TO MANAGE COWS ON, BUT THE ONLY GOOD CROP TO GROW UP HERE IS NATIVE GRASSES, AND WE CAN'T HARVEST THEM, WE NEED TO GRAZE THEM.

WHEN MY FAMILY SETTLED HERE IN THE LATE 1800S, THEY TRIED THEIR HAND AT POTATOES.

THIS USED TO BE A BIG LETTUCE AREA, SOYBEANS, LOTS OF DIFFERENT CROPS, AND THEY JUST DON'T THRIVE.

THIS ENVIRONMENT IS HARSH FOR FARMING, AND SO THIS LAND NEEDS TO BE USED FOR SOMETHING.

WE NEED TO MANAGE THESE LANDSCAPES, AND KEEP THEM WORKING, AND LIVE OFF OF THEM, AND LIVESTOCK HAS STAYED FOR THAT REASON.

[MOOING] - JUST LIKE THAT, HE'S DONE.

WE'LL HELP HIM BACK UP.

RANCHERS HAVE BEEN TAKING CARE OF THIS AREA FOR YEARS, AND YEARS, AND YEARS, GENERATIONS.

GO ON, BUDDY.

SOME VIEW US AS JUST BAD RANCHERS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE ENVIRONMENT, AND OTHERS DO APPRECIATE THE CONSERVATIONIST SIDE THAT WE DO HAVE.

WE WERE THE FIRST CONSERVATIONISTS BEFORE THE WORD EVEN WAS COINED.

- SO, THIS WOLF INTRODUCTION, IT'S JUST GOING TO HURT THE MOUNTAIN RANCHER, BUT IT WON'T JUST HURT THE MOUNTAIN RANCHER, IT WILL ACTUALLY HURT RURAL MOUNTAIN LIVELIHOODS, AND WE SHOULD HAVE FOUGHT THIS BEFORE IT EVER GOT ON THE BALLOT.

- WELL, IT'S A BURNING QUESTION.

SHOULD WOLVES BE ALLOWED BACK IN COLORADO?

- ONE GROUP HAS BEEN PUSHING FOR THE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE TO GO TO VOTERS.

- A QUESTION THAT HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN UP TO FEDERAL AGENCIES TO DECIDE, BUT IF THIS BALLOT INITIATIVE SIGNATURES ARE APPROVED, WELL, IT'S VOTERS WHO COULD DECIDE ON THIS ANIMAL'S FATE.

- OUR ANCESTORS MADE A PROFOUND MISTAKE IN ERADICATING WOLVES FROM MOST NORTH AMERICA, AND WE HAD A CHANCE TO RIGHT THAT WRONG, AND WE TOOK IT.

[MUSIC] MY NAME IS ROB EDWARD.

I AM THE COFOUNDER AND A CURRENT BOARD MEMBER OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN WOLF PROJECT.

I'VE BEEN WORKING TO BRING WOLVES BACK TO COLORADO SINCE LATE 1994.

I CAME TO COLORADO SPECIFICALLY TO ENGAGE WITH THE EFFORT TO BRING WOLVES BACK IN THE MID-1990S.

I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS, AND THE MORE I LEARNED ABOUT DIFFERENT LARGE CARNIVORES AND THEIR ROLE IN KEEPING THINGS HEALTHY, THE MORE I WANTED TO BE A PART OF HELPING TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT AGAIN.

AND THEN, I STUMBLED ACROSS AN AD FOR A SMALL NONPROFIT BASED IN BOULDER CALLED SYNAPU THAT HAD A SOLE FOCUS OF TRYING TO RESTORE WOLVES TO COLORADO, AND I SAID, "I'M IN.” WHAT ENSUED OVER THE NEXT APPROXIMATELY 20 YEARS WAS SIMPLY DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE, RIGHT?

BUILD THE SCIENCE, CONTINUE TO PUSH THE FEDERAL AGENCY BECAUSE AT THAT TIME, WOLVES WERE LISTED NATIONALLY EVERYWHERE.

- WOLVES WERE ONE OF THE FIRST SPECIES LISTED UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT WHEN IT WAS FIRST FORMED IN THE 1970S.

CURRENTLY, WOLVES IN COLORADO ARE PROTECTED AS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES, BOTH BY OUR STATE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL U.S.

ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT.

- WHAT WE KNEW FROM THE GET WAS THAT PEOPLE DO REALLY SEEM TO LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING WOLVES ON THE GROUND.

THEY THINK THEY SHOULD BE HERE.

THERE'S A TRUE EXISTENTIAL VALUE TO THEM BEING ON THE LAND.

AND SO, WE WERE JUST BUILDING ON THAT BASIC FOUNDATION.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE STARTED A CONVERSATION WITH THE STATE WILDLIFE AGENCY.

HE SAID, "WE'RE GOING TO KEEP PUSHING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DO A REINTRODUCTION."

- THREE TIMES THE WILDLIFE COMMISSION VOTED AGAINST WOLF REINTRODUCTION.

THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS TAKEN IT UPON ITSELF TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES.

IN BOTH CASES, THERE WAS NO MOVEMENT ON WOLF REINTRODUCTION.

- ULTIMATELY, THEN CONGRESS STEPPED IN TO RID THEMSELVES OF THE LISTED STATUS FOR WOLVES IN THE NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAINS, BUT THEY LEFT COLORADO LISTED, BUT SAID, "WE'RE STILL NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING.” SO, THAT'S WHEN WE DECIDED THAT THE TIME WAS PROBABLY RIGHT FOR US TO REALLY LOOK HARD AT THE POSSIBILITY OF PUTTING A QUESTION ON THE BALLOT AND LET THE VOTERS DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO RESTORE WOLVES.

IT WASN'T FOLLY.

IT WASN'T A WHIM.

WE HAD SEVERAL DATA ANALYSIS POINTS OVER THE COURSE OF THAT 20 YEAR SPAN AT THAT POINT THAT SHOWED SOLID PUBLIC SUPPORT.

AND WE ALWAYS WERE ASKING, "DO YOU HAVE A GOOD REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE?” SO, WE FELT CONFIDENT WHEN WE GOT THOSE RESULTS BACK, WE WERE STILL IN THE 60% RANGE, THAT WE WOULD DO WELL.

SO, WE GOT THE VARIOUS NONPROFITS, NON-GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES TOGETHER AND DISCUSSED THE IDEA.

EVERYBODY WAS IN.

AND SO, WE WERE OFF TO THE RACES.

- IT ONLY MAKES SENSE BECAUSE WOLVES ARE NATIVE TO COLORADO, AND NATIVE ANIMALS ARE HERE FOR A REASON.

AND SO, IT WAS NOT UNTIL ABOUT 2016 WHEN I WAS ACTUALLY APPROACHED.

AND THERE WAS A GROUP.

IT WAS THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN WOLF PROJECT.

AND IT WAS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WITH BIOLOGISTS AND SCIENTISTS, ALL THAT GOT TOGETHER THAT DECIDED WE NEED TO HAVE WOLVES BACK.

- THEY ARE SO BEAUTIFUL.

MY NAME IS DARLENE KOBOBEL I AM THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF COLORADO WOLF AND WILDLIFE CENTER.

- COLORADO WOLF AND WILDLIFE CENTER HAS BEEN HEAVILY INVESTED IN WOLF RESTORATION SINCE DARLENE FOUNDED THIS PLACE, ACTUALLY.

SHE'S BEEN FIGHTING VERY HARD TO GET WOLVES ESTABLISHED BACK IN OUR STATE FOR DECADES AT THIS POINT.

- READY?

GOOD GIRL.

COLORADO WOLF AND WILDLIFE CENTER IS A SANCTUARY/EDUCATION FACILITY.

I STARTED IT IN 1993 AND BACK IN THE DAY, IT WAS CALLED WOLF HYBRID RESCUE CENTER.

AND I TELL PEOPLE, "NEVER EVER USE THAT WORD RESCUE UNLESS YOU'RE PREPARED.” IN MY FIRST WEEK, I WOUND UP WITH 17 ANIMALS, AND I WAS OVERWHELMED.

PEOPLE JUST KEPT BRINGING THEIR WOLF DOG HYBRIDS TO ME, AND I'M LIKE, "OH MY GOSH.” ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO RUN OUT OF TREATS.

AND SO, THE PLACE THAT WE'RE AT HERE TODAY IN DIVIDE, IT WAS A LLAMA RANCH.

AND WHEN I MOVED HERE, THERE WAS NO RUNNING WATER, THERE WAS NO BUILDINGS, THERE WAS NO ELECTRICITY.

THERE WAS NOTHING HERE.

SO, I LITERALLY CAME ON THIS RAW PIECE OF PROPERTY HERE, SAT UNDERNEATH A TREE, AND THOUGHT, "HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS?” AND I WALKED THIS WHOLE PROPERTY, AND IN MY MIND IT WAS LIKE, THIS IS WHERE THE WOLF ENCLOSURES IS GOING TO BE.

THAT'S WHERE THE HOUSE WILL BE.

AND I SORT OF HAD THIS VISION OF HOW I WAS GOING TO LAY EVERYTHING OUT.

AND IT WAS LIKE, I CAN DO THIS.

I CAN DO THIS.

SO, IT HAS BEEN A PROCESS, AND A LOVE, AND A JOY, AND LOTS OF WORK, BUT I LOVE WHAT I DO AND VERY PROUD OF WHAT I HAVE.

AND NOW, I HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL CENTER THAT WE HAVE OUTREACH PROGRAMS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

- DENALI, HE JUST TURNED TWO.

SO, HE IS NOW CONSIDERED AN ADULT.

THEY ARE MATURE AT TWO YEARS OLD OR SO.

BUT RAYNE HERE IS THE BOSS.

NOW, I SAY THAT BECAUSE SHE ACTUALLY ADOPTED DENALI AND TWO OTHER WOLVES.

WOLVES ARE ACTUALLY ONE OF THE FEW APEX PREDATORS THAT HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO ADOPT OFFSPRING FROM OUTSIDE THEIR OWN PACK.

- WE GO OVER SO MUCH ABOUT WOLVES, AND THE HISTORY, AND THE BIOLOGY, AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS.

BUT I NEEDED TO DO MORE THAN THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS ONE THING THAT WAS MISSING FROM COLORADO, AND THAT WAS THE HOWL OF THE WOLF.

- ONE, TWO, THREE.

[HOWLING] - WE ALSO AIM TO TEACH PEOPLE WHY IT IS BENEFICIAL TO REINTRODUCE THE WOLF BACK INTO OUR STATE.

DARLENE WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF TWO PROPONENTS TO GET IT PLACED ON COLORADO'S BALLOT, WHICH WAS A BIG WIN FOR HER.

- I WAS ASKED IF I WAS INTERESTED IN BECOMING A PROPONENT FOR INITIATIVE 114.

AND SO, I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT WHEN I GOT TO SIGN THAT.

AND SO, WE WERE LITERALLY OUT BEATING THE STREETS AND GETTING SIGNATURES, AND PEOPLE HAD QUESTIONS, OF COURSE.

- WE WERE APPROVED FOR THE BALLOT IN DECEMBER OF 2019.

BASICALLY, IT SAID, "SHALL THE STATE OF COLORADO REINTRODUCE WOLVES, GRAY WOLVES, TO THE WESTERN SLOPE OF COLORADO WITH A DATE CERTAIN OF THE END OF 2023, DECEMBER 31ST, 2023?

AND SHALL COLORADO ESTABLISH A FUND FOR COMPENSATION FOR LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS WHO LOSE LIVESTOCK TO WOLVES?” THAT WAS THE CORE OF THAT QUESTION THAT WENT TO THE VOTERS.

- AND WHEN YOU'RE HAVING A PREDATOR BROUGHT BACK ONTO THE LANDSCAPE AFTER 80 YEARS THAT'S BEEN ABSENT, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE THOSE QUESTIONS, AND OPPOSITION, AND STRONG OPPOSITION.

AND SO, WE WERE PREPARED FOR THAT.

- POLLING NUMBERS WERE SOLID, BUT WE WEREN'T COMPLETELY SURE OF ANYTHING COME ELECTION NIGHT 2020.

- THE ISSUE OF REINTRODUCING GRAY WOLVES INTO OUR STATE IS PERHAPS THE TIGHTEST RACE OF THE NIGHT, STILL TOO CLOSE TO CALL.

- I JUST FIND THIS INTERESTING BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE THE WOLVES WILL BE REINTRODUCED TO START WHERE THEY DIDN'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN - NO ONE SHOWED UP IN THE WAY WE NEEDED TO SHOW UP WHEN THE WOLF THING GOT THROWN ON THE BALLOT.

AND THEN, I THINK A LOT OF US KIND OF WERE TOO LATE.

WHEN IT GOT ON THE BALLOT, THAT'S WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE KIND OF STARTED RALLYING.

- I THINK IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT IT WAS GOING TO HAVE ON THEIR LOCAL RANCHERS.

IT WOULD JUST BE NICE IF THEY HAD GOTTEN THE RIGHT INFORMATION BEFORE THE VOTE.

- SOMETIMES THE WRONG PEOPLE ARE REPRESENTING OUR NEEDS AND ALSO REPRESENTING OUR THREATS, YOU KNOW, WHAT COULD HURT US.

I THINK WE RALLIED OUR OWN TROOPS AND WE GOT US ALL RILED UP, AND WE NEEDED TO BE COMMUNICATING THIS MORE TO PEOPLE THAT THEY NEED TO HEAR OUR SIDE.

- RIGHT NOW, IT APPEARS COLORADO HAS SPOKEN IN FAVOR OF RESTORING THE GRAY WOLF POPULATION.

MORE ACCURATELY, IT APPEARS THE METRO HAS SPOKEN FOR THE WESTERN SLOPE ON THE MATTER.

- WHO LET THE WOLVES OUT?

DENVER.

DENVER LET THE WOLVES OUT WITH SOME HELP FROM BOULDER, FORT COLLINS, AND COLORADO SPRINGS.

- MUCH OF THAT VOTE CAME FROM THE URBAN FRONT RANGE OF COLORADO, PEOPLE WHO AREN'T REALLY GOING TO BE LIVING WITH WOLVES AND EXPERIENCING THE POTENTIAL COSTS THAT WOLVES MIGHT BRING TO BEAR.

- ULTIMATELY, WE'D MADE A GOOD CASE, A REALLY GOOD CASE FOR WHY WE SHOULD BE BRINGING WOLVES BACK.

AND THE PEOPLE AGREED WITH US, SO-- - WHAT I'M SO PROUD OF IS WE ARE BRINGING AN ENDANGERED SPECIES BACK BY PUBLIC REFERENDUM.

NO OTHER STATE HAS USED THAT AS A TECHNIQUE.

SO, FOR THE PUBLIC, FOR THE COLORADO PUBLIC TO DO THAT IS A FIRST IN THE HISTORY OF THE NATION IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE - THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THERE'S BEEN A BALLOT INITIATIVE TO REINTRODUCE ANY WILDLIFE SPECIES, AND CERTAINLY THE FIRST TIME THAT THERE'S BEEN A BALLOT INITIATIVE TO REINTRODUCE WOLVES.

AND THE POLLING LEADING UP TO THE BALLOT WAS THAT IT HAD 70%, 80% SUPPORT.

IN REALITY, WHEN THE VOTE HAPPENED, IT PASSED BY 51% TO 49%.

DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH IT PASSED BY, BUT IT PASSED AND IT BECAME STATE LAW.

AND SO, AS STATE EMPLOYEES, THAT'S WHAT WE DO IS IMPLEMENT STATE LAW.

MY NAME IS ERIC ODELL.

I'M THE WOLF CONSERVATION PROGRAM MANAGER FOR COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE.

SO, I'M WORKING ENTIRELY ON WOLVES AND WOLF MANAGEMENT.

AND SO, WITH THE WOLF PROGRAM, IT'S VERY MUCH TRYING TO BALANCE THE BIOLOGICAL NEEDS OF THE SPECIES, AS WELL AS THE SOCIAL AND THE POLITICAL PRESSURES THAT COME ALONG WITH WOLF MANAGEMENT.

- ULTIMATELY, WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT IS MUCH MORE ABOUT PEOPLE THAN IT IS ABOUT WILDLIFE.

AND THAT'S DEFINITELY THE CASE WITH WOLVES.

[HOWLING] SO, WHEN PEOPLE ARGUE ABOUT WOLVES, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY ARGUING ABOUT WOLVES THEMSELVES.

THEY'RE ARGUING ABOUT DEEPER, UNRESOLVED SOCIETAL DEBATES LIKE THE URBAN-RURAL DIVIDE, OR FEDERAL VERSUS STATE GOVERNMENT, OR PUBLIC VERSUS PRIVATE LAND.

SO, WHEN PEOPLE ARGUE ABOUT WOLVES, THEY'RE OFTEN ARGUING ABOUT THESE MORE UNRESOLVED DEBATES THAN THEY ARE ARGUING ABOUT WOLVES THEMSELVES.

- THE CPW TEAM IS TAKING THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ESTABLISH A WOLF POPULATION VERY SERIOUSLY.

WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO RESTORE WOLVES, TO PROTECT WOLVES, AND TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS AND THE IMPACTS THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SENSE AND GOING TO FEEL FROM HAVING WOLVES ON THE LANDSCAPE.

AND SO, AFTER THE NOVEMBER 2020 VOTE, WE THEN WENT INTO A REALLY INTENTIONAL PROCESS WHERE WE CONVENED TWO GROUPS, A STAKEHOLDER GROUP AND A TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP.

AND THE STAKEHOLDER GROUP REPRESENTED EVERYBODY THAT YOU MIGHT EXPECT FROM WOLF PERSPECTIVES.

AND SO, THEY REALLY WERE CONVENED TO PROVIDE US INPUT AS TO WHAT THE SOCIAL CONCERNS OR SOCIAL HOPES WERE FOR WOLVES.

- I WAS A MEMBER OF THE SAG, WHICH IS THE STAKEHOLDERS' ADVISORY GROUP.

WE WOULD MEET ONCE A MONTH FOR ANYWHERE FROM TWO TO THREE DAYS WHEREVER CPW, COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE, DECIDED THAT WE WAS GOING TO HAVE A MEETING.

SO, A LOT OF IT WAS WESTERN SLOPE AREA, EVERYWHERE FROM OUT BY STEAMBOAT TO GRAND JUNCTION, DENVER.

SO, WE WERE ALL OVER THE STATE.

- ALONGSIDE THE STAKEHOLDER GROUP, WE HAD A TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP.

AND THAT WAS MADE UP OF WOLF PROFESSIONALS, WOLF MANAGERS FROM OTHER STATES, PEOPLE THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE RESTORATION OF WOLVES IN YELLOWSTONE IN CENTRAL IDAHO IN THE MID 1990S.

AND SO, WE HAD A LOT OF EXPERTISE TO GLEAN FROM THEM ON A LOT OF THE REALLY TECHNICAL LOGISTICAL KINDS OF THINGS.

AND SO, EACH OF THOSE GROUPS MET FOR -- ON A MONTHLY BASIS, ABOUT ONCE A MONTH.

- I DID THAT FOR 18 MONTHS, ALONG WITH 16 OTHER PEOPLE.

THERE WAS 17 TOTAL OF US.

AND IT COMPRISED OF PRODUCERS, BOTH CATTLE, SHEEP, LANDOWNERS, BIOLOGISTS, A WHOLE VARIETY.

- NEITHER OF THEM WERE WRITING THE PLAN THEMSELVES.

THEY WERE JUST PROVIDING THE INPUT TO US, AS WE GET, TO STAFF AS WE PUT THAT PLAN TOGETHER.

SO, IN MAY OF 2023, WE PRESENTED THE FINAL PLAN TO THE COMMISSION THAT DESCRIBED HOW WE WERE GOING TO RESTORE WOLVES, WHERE WE WERE GOING TO SOURCE WOLVES FROM GENERALLY, ALL THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF ASPECTS THAT GO ALONG WITH WOLF MANAGEMENT.

- IT WAS A WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE TRYING TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO BRING WOLVES BACK.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALL AGREED ON WAS COMPENSATION FOR ANY LOSSES OF LIVESTOCK.

- OUR LIVESTOCK DEPREDATION PROGRAM IS GEARED TO PAY THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF LIVESTOCK.

AND SO, WE WILL PAY UP TO $15,000.

DOESN'T MEAN THAT ANY ANIMAL THAT'S KILLED WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE GIVEN A $15,000 CHECK.

BUT FOR ANY ANIMAL THAT'S KILLED, WE WILL PAY THE FAIR MARKET VALUE UP TO $15,000.

- I DO BELIEVE THAT THE REIMBURSEMENT PLAN THAT THE STATE OF COLORADO HAS IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, I THINK THAT THAT'S FAIR.

BUT OUR ACHILLES HEEL WITH THESE WOLVES ARE OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY TAKE AN ANIMAL'S LIFE.

THAT'S THE OBVIOUS HIT.

THAT'S THE HIT WE CAN CALCULATE AND PROBABLY GET REIMBURSED FOR.

BUT THESE ARE THE PARTS THAT PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND ACTUALLY MORE FINANCIALLY MAKE OR BREAK AN OPERATION.

AND THAT'S BREED UP.

- IT IS SCIENCE.

THERE'S A SCIENCE TO IT.

THERE'S A METHOD TO ALL THIS MADNESS.

IT'S NOT QUITE AS SIMPLE AS BUY A COW, TURN OUT A BULL, AND THERE YOU GO.

WE'RE AT A VERY HIGH ELEVATION, PROBABLY 8,500 FEET RIGHT HERE.

SO, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE GENETICS THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO THRIVE AT THOSE HIGH ELEVATIONS.

WE DON'T WANT TO GO BACKWARDS JUST BY BREEDING TO ANY BULL.

- YOU CAN'T JUST GO ANYWHERE AND BUY A COW AND BRING IT BACK HERE BECAUSE THEY WON'T LIVE HERE.

COWS HAVE A REALLY HARD TIME WITH HIGH ELEVATION.

SO, IT'S A LOT OF YEARS OF BREEDING TO GET THEM TO LIVE AT THIS ELEVATION.

- HEY, BUDDY.

YOU DOING OK?

SHE WAS BORN THIS MORNING, SO SHE'S JUST NEW TO THE WORLD.

SO, WE'LL LEAVE HER ALONE.

SHE'S GOT A GOOD MAMA.

WOLVES CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS THAN JUST PHYSICALLY KILLING CALVES.

NOT ONLY DO THEY DO THAT, THEY CAUSE STRESS TO THESE ANIMALS.

I MEAN, WE AS PRODUCERS, AS MANAGERS MANAGE THESE COWS THE BEST WE POSSIBLY CAN TO KEEP STRESS LOW.

AND THESE WOLVES, I THINK, WILL CAUSE MORE DAMAGE TO THESE HERDS THAT WE'RE OUT IN TODAY JUST FROM STRESS.

- WHEN THOSE WOLVES ARE PRESENT, COWS WON'T CYCLE TO BE BRED.

OR IF THEY ARE BRED, THEY MIGHT SLOUGH A CALF.

COWS DON'T DO WELL BEING STRESSED.

THAT'S WHY WE WORK REALLY HARD TO GIVE THEM A VERY HAPPY, EASYGOING, AWESOME LIFE IN A COW-CALF OPERATION.

WHEN THEY'RE HAPPY, THEY'RE GOOD MAMAS, THEY MAKE GOOD MILK, AND THEY CONTINUE TO STAY A PART OF THE OPERATION.

- SO, THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT BETWEEN WOLVES AND LIVESTOCK IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE MOST CONTENTIOUS ISSUES HERE IN COLORADO.

AND WHAT THE DATA TELL US IS THAT MOST RANCHERS WOULD NOT EXPERIENCE DIRECT CONFLICT WITH WOLVES.

HOWEVER, WE KNOW THAT SOME RANCHERS WILL.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT NOT TO MINIMIZE THOSE POTENTIAL IMPACTS BECAUSE WHEN WOLVES MOVE IN AND STRESS, OR ATTACK, OR KILL LIVESTOCK, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT, BOTH ECONOMIC AND EMOTIONAL, IMPACT FOR RANCHERS.

- WHEREVER WOLVES SHARE THE LANDSCAPE, THERE WILL BE INEVITABLE CONFLICT.

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF MISCONCEPTIONS SURROUNDING THAT AS WELL.

THE WOLVES ARE GOING TO DECIMATE ALL OF THE LIVESTOCK THAT RESIDE ON OUR PUBLIC LANDS.

BUT PUBLIC LAND IS NOT JUST FOR CATTLE AND FOR GRAZING ALLOTMENTS.

IT'S ALSO FOR THE PUBLIC.

THAT IS OUR LAND TO RECREATE ON.

IT'S OUR LAND TO BE ABLE TO BRING OUR SPECIES BACK IF WE THINK THAT THAT'S A VALUABLE CHOICE.

- AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY, WE CERTAINLY HAVE EXPERTISE IN WILDLIFE ECOLOGY, AND CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, AND CARNIVORE ECOLOGY.

THAT'S MY EXPERTISE.

SO AT THE CENTER FOR HUMAN CARNIVORE COEXISTENCE, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE CHCC, WE INTEGRATE EDUCATION, RESEARCH, AND OUTREACH TO REDUCE CONFLICT AND FACILITATE COEXISTENCE BETWEEN PEOPLE AND PREDATORS.

SO, HERE IS THE HABITAT SUITABILITY MODEL FOR WOLVES IN COLORADO IN THE WINTERTIME.

SO, WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS MAP, THE GREEN ARE AREAS WHERE WOLVES MIGHT HAVE A HIGHER LIKELIHOOD OF PERSISTING IN THE STATE AND A LOW CONFLICT RISK.

AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THE PURPLE.

THESE ARE AREAS WHERE WOLVES MIGHT RESIDE, BUT THEN WOLVES MIGHT COME INTO CONFLICT WITH PEOPLE.

SO, THESE MAPS THAT WE DEVELOPED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE WERE ACTUALLY USED BY COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE TO HELP GUIDE WHERE THEIR WINTERTIME RELEASES FOR WOLVES ARE GOING TO BE.

- WHEREVER WOLVES AND LIVESTOCK OR UNGULATES SHARE THE LANDSCAPE, THERE'S GOING TO BE DEPREDATION.

THAT'S JUST WHAT WOLVES DO.

THEY'RE CARNIVORES.

AND SO, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS PUT WOLVES IN AREAS WHERE THERE'S THE SMALLEST LIKELIHOOD OF THEM GETTING INVOLVED IN THAT.

AND SO, WHAT WAS PROPOSITION 114 BECAME COLORADO'S STATUTE.

AND IT WAS VERY CLEAR.

IT SAID THAT WE HAD TO BEGIN THE REINTRODUCTION BY DECEMBER 31, 2023.

AND SO, AS OUR DIRECTOR REACHED OUT TO OTHER STATES, OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE WAS THE FIRST STATE TO MAKE AN AGREEMENT.

SO, WE DROVE OUT TO OREGON IN MID-DECEMBER AND BEGAN OUR CAPTURE OPERATIONS ON DECEMBER 17TH WAS THE FIRST DAY OF HELICOPTER CAPTURE.

WE WOULD FLY THOSE ANIMALS FROM OREGON TO COLORADO.

AND THEN, ONCE WE LANDED AT THE AIRSTRIP IN WESTERN COLORADO, LOAD THEM INTO TRUCKS AND DROVE THEM TO THE RELEASE SITE WHERE WE THEN OPENED THE CRATES AND SET THEM FREE.

[MUSIC] - MY WIFE AND I WERE VERY FORTUNATE, ALONG WITH A SMALL GROUP OF COLLEAGUES, TO BE AT ONE OF THE RELEASES THAT WEEK.

IT WAS AMAZING.

IT WAS LITERALLY THE EMBODIMENT OF 30 YEARS' WORTH OF WORK.

IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

- I HAD THE HONOR AND THE PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO WATCH THIS HISTORIC EVENT.

AND IT EVEN MAKES ME WANT TO CRY RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT WAS THE MOST EXCITING, BEAUTIFUL THING THAT I'VE EVER SEEN, TO BE ABLE TO WATCH THEM AND KNOW THAT THESE WOLVES HAVE NOT BEEN THERE FOR 80 YEARS.

I WAS LIKE IN THE BACK, AND THEY TOOK A PICTURE OF ME.

I'M LIKE, "YES!” YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT WAS SO FULFILLING FOR ME.

- AND THE FIRST FIVE ANIMALS WERE RELEASED ON DECEMBER 18TH.

AND THEN, FOR THE NEXT FOUR OR FIVE DAYS, WE RELEASED AN ADDITIONAL FIVE ANIMALS.

AND SO, IN THAT FIVE DAY PERIOD, WE RELEASED 10 ANIMALS.

WE HAD A DYNAMITE TEAM, WE HAD REALLY GOOD SUPPORT.

EVERYTHING WENT AS WELL AS COULD BE.

AND WE'RE LEARNING, YOU KNOW?

WE CONTINUE TO LEARN ABOUT HOW TO COMMUNICATE ABOUT WOLVES, HOW TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT WOLVES.

- YOU KNOW, THE OUTREACH THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THE CPW, HONESTLY, WE'RE PRETTY FRUSTRATED.

I FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T COMMUNICATE WITH US SINCE THEY'VE BEEN-- ACTUALLY, THEY DIDN'T EVEN SHARE WHEN THEY GOT REINTRODUCED, AND THAT WAS VERY CLOSE, AN AFTERNOON'S RUN FROM OUR HOME.

A WEEK LATER, WE HEARD THEM.

YOU KNOW, WE HEARD ONE HOWLING FROM OUR BEDROOM.

- RIGHT NOW, IT SEEMS THAT WE AS RANCHERS ARE GETTING SECONDHAND INFORMATION.

I WISH THERE WAS MORE CLARITY FROM THE STATE, NOT ONLY THE STATE, BUT COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE WITH THE LOCATION WHERE THE WOLVES ARE AT, THEIR STATUS, THEIR HEALTH.

I JUST WISH THERE WAS MORE CLARITY.

WITH MOUNTAIN RANCHING COMES MANY CHALLENGES.

THE CLIMATE ONE POSES A CHALLENGE IN ITSELF, BUT YOU HAVE SO MANY COWS IN ONE SPOT HERE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CARE FOR THE BEST WE CAN.

AND WE MIGHT BE TAGGING CALF JUST LIKE WE DID OR TAKING NOTES IN OUR BOOK JUST LIKE WE DID AND SEE SOMETHING ACROSS RUN ACROSS THAT HILLSIDE.

WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO CHECK IT OUT.

AND JUST THE STRESS.

YOU MIGHT HEAR A COW BAWL, OR YOU MIGHT HEAR SOME COMMOTION, OR THREE OR FOUR COWS BAWLING ABOUT SOMETHING.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, AND YOUR MIND JUST IMMEDIATELY GOES TO, "IS IT A WOLF?” - WHEN WE SET OUT TO DO THIS AFTER THE NOVEMBER 2020 VOTE, REALIZING THAT WOLVES ARE VERY CONTENTIOUS.

WE'RE NEVER GOING TO PLEASE EVERYBODY.

WE'RE DOING ABSOLUTE BEST THAT WE CAN DO.

WE'RE A VERY SCIENCE BASED APPROACH TO THIS, SCIENCE BASED IN THE TERMS OF WHAT DOES THE SPECIES NEED, SCIENCE BASED IN TERMS OF WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED FROM THE PUBLIC, AND WHAT IS THAT THE HUMAN SIDE OF WOLF MANAGEMENT.

- SO, WHERE YOU JUST WALKED THROUGH IS WHERE THE WOLVES TYPICALLY USED TO COME THROUGH.

IN THE WINTERTIME, I'M THE ONLY CATTLE UP HERE.

AND THE WOLVES SPEND A LOT OF TIME MOVING BETWEEN THAT AREA OVER HERE AND THAT DIRECTION THAT WAY.

SO, THEY CROSS THROUGH HERE A LOT.

SO, I'M IN THEIR PATH, AND I'M A FOOD SOURCE.

- TODAY, WE ARE AT THE GITTLESON RANCH, AND WE ARE LEARNING ABOUT THE INCREASED AMOUNT OF WOLF DEPREDATIONS AND THE NEGATIVE IMPACT WOLVES ARE HAVING ON OUR AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES.

WE HAVE BROUGHT TOGETHER A LARGE COALITION OF RANCHERS, AGRICULTURAL LEADERS, LAWMAKERS, AS WELL AS FOLKS FROM COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE, DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO COME TOGETHER TO LEARN HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO BEST SUPPORT OUR AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY WHEN FACING THE ONSLAUGHT OF WOLVES.

- SO, WE'RE HEADED RIGHT OUT HERE TO THIS IS THE MEADOW THAT WE KEEP OUR YEARLINGS IN FOR THE WINTER.

- AND WHY ARE THE CALVES TARGETED?

- BECAUSE THEY'RE LITTLE AND EASY.

- YEAH.

- I MEAN, MAMA COWS PROTECT THEM, BUT LIKE THE ONE MAMA COW SHE TRIED SO HARD TO PROTECT HER BABY, SHE COULDN'T EVEN STAND UP ANYMORE.

- OH MY GOSH.

- AND THEY AND THEY STILL KILLED IT, RIGHT?

SO, WHEN YOU HAVE A PACK OF SIX OR EIGHT, I MEAN, IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO-- ONE COW CAN'T FEND OFF A PACK OF WOLVES.

[MUSIC] - NOW, THEY'VE LEARNED THEY CAN TAKE DOWN A BIG COW.

SO, WHAT WE'RE DOING OUT THERE ISN'T GOING TO WORK ANYMORE.

- MY STRATEGY IS TO LISTEN TO WHAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE.

I THINK THAT IF WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE PROACTIVE, CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO THE LANDOWNER GROUPS AND JUST THE VARIOUS CONSTITUENTS, THE VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, NOT ONLY ON THE WEST SLOPE, BUT ALSO ON THE EAST SLOPE, WE'LL WORK TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM FOR EVERYBODY.

EVEN THOSE THAT THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING WOLVES WELL MAKE THE WHOLE EFFORT SUCCESSFUL FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S INVOLVED.

- I BROUGHT THIS OUT HERE.

SO, THIS FOR US HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY EFFECTIVE TOOL.

THEY'RE CRACKER SHELLS.

SO, THESE ARE NOT AS CONSISTENT.

SOMETIMES THEY HIT THE GROUND.

[POP] [EXPLOSION] IT'S A VERY EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR US.

IT'S WORKED.

WHEN I'VE HAD THINGS GOING ON IN THE COWS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SHUT IT DOWN RIGHT NOW WITH THIS.

- THERE'S A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT STRATEGIES TO TRY TO REDUCE AND PREVENT CONFLICT WITH WOLVES, TOOLS LIKE SCARE DEVICES OR FLADRY, WHICH IS FLAGGING, OR LIVESTOCK GUARDIAN DOGS.

ALL OF THOSE APPROACHES MIGHT HELP DETER WOLVES FROM AREAS WITH LIVESTOCK.

- THESE ARE DIFFERENT TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX THAT YOU NEED TO PULL OUT AND USE.

SO, WE HAVE FLADRY, WE HAVE FOX LIGHTS, SOMETHING THAT FLASHES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

WHEN NOT ONLY WOLVES, BUT OTHER PREDATORS SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEY'RE VERY WARY OF IT BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS NOT NATURAL TO THEM AND IT CAN HELP TO KEEP THEM AT BAY.

- SO, THEY ARE VERY NEOPHOBIC, WHICH IS THE FEAR OF NEW THINGS.

AND WE SEE A LOT OF THAT, EVEN IN HUMAN CARE WITH OUR ANIMALS THAT WE'VE HAND RAISED.

OFTENTIMES, IF YOU SCUFF THE GROUND THE WRONG WAY, IF THEY SEE ANYTHING NEW OR NOVEL, THEY'RE A LITTLE STARTLED BY IT AND THEY'LL RUN IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

- NOW, I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT RIGHT THERE WILL SOLVE ALL PROBLEMS BECAUSE IT WON'T BECAUSE WOLVES ARE SMART.

THEY'RE VERY INTELLIGENT ANIMALS.

THERE'S GUARD DOGS.

YOU GET GUARD DOGS OUT THERE.

THERE'S EVEN GUARD DONKEYS.

THERE'S DIFFERENT ANIMALS THAT CAN HELP.

- SO, ONE METHOD TO DETER THE WOLVES IS TO INSTALL FLADRY.

IT IS CABLE WITH FLAGS EVERY SO MANY FEET.

THE REASON WE DON'T HAVE IT HERE IS THE FACT THAT WE ARE SPREAD OUT SO FAR, AND IT WOULD TAKE AN ABSOLUTELY TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF FLADRY.

AND SO, WHAT WE DO IS JUST TRY TO HAVE MORE BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

WE TRY TO BE OUT HERE AS ABSOLUTELY AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN ALL DAY, ALL NIGHT.

- SOME OF THE MITIGATION TECHNIQUES THAT WE'VE BEEN ADVISED ABOUT AND THAT ARE REALLY POPULAR ARE THE RANGE RIDER.

AND THAT WAS KIND OF OUR IDEA IN DEFINITELY GETTING AN EMPLOYEE THIS YEAR IS GOING, "HEY, IF WE CAN GET INTO THESE COWS MORE HUMAN PRESENCE, MORE HUMAN CLIMBING OFF THE HORSE--” BECAUSE A LOT OF WHERE OUR CATTLE SPEND THEIR SUMMERS, YOU NEED TO EITHER BE ON FOOT OR HORSEBACK.

LIKE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET A FOUR WHEELER UP THERE.

[MOOS] THESE COWS ARE ABOUT TO GO TO THAT TRAP UP THERE OR THAT MEADOW UP THERE.

AND OVER HERE, WE GOT TWO CALVING GROUPS.

THERE'S KIND OF OUR YOUNGER, OUR YOUNGS AND OUR OLD CALVING GROUP, AND THEN KIND OF OUR STRONG, BIG, MATURE COWS.

THEY'RE CALVING IN THE FAR OFF GROUP.

[MUSIC] EVERY AREA IS SO DIFFERENT.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF US ARE TRYING DIFFERENT THINGS.

NOT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US IS DOING THE EXACT SAME TYPE OF MITIGATION.

HONESTLY, WE THINK WE'RE MANAGING OUR CATTLE THE BEST THAT WE KNOW HOW TO DO, AND THROUGH OUR MENTORS AND THROUGH GENERATIONS OF PRACTICE, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO SACRIFICE HEALTH.

- I'M KAREN DELINE, AND WE ALSO RANCH OVER IN THE RAND AREA.

AND I'M JUST HERE TO GET ANY INFORMATION FROM ALL SIDES THAT I CAN GET.

- A LOT OF US HAVE BEEN ALSO CALLING DONNIE GITTLESON QUITE A BIT.

HE'S TRIED A LOT JUST FOR EXPERIMENTAL PURPOSES.

- SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WE USED.

THIS, CATTLE DO NOT LIKE, OKAY, WHEN YOU PUT IT ON THEM.

WE WERE HOPING THAT IT WOULD HELP KEEP WOLVES AWAY FOR A WHILE, BUT WHAT I NOTICED WAS AFTER A WHILE, THE COWS FIGURE OUT HOW TO KEEP THIS QUIET MOST OF THE TIME.

AND IF THEY DO START RUNNING AND MAKING NOISE, THE REST OF THE COWS GO AWAY FROM THAT COW.

SO, NOW I HAVE A COW BY HERSELF.

- AN IMPORTANT POINT TO MAKE HERE WITH THESE CONFLICT REDUCTION TOOLS IS THERE'S NO MAGIC SILVER BULLET.

THERE'S NO ONE TOOL THAT'S GOING TO BE 100% EFFECTIVE.

- NOW, WE KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE DEPREDATIONS, RIGHT?

THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

WE'RE PREPARED FOR THAT.

WE'VE GOT A COMPENSATION PROGRAM TO PAY FOR THAT.

WE'VE GOT STAFF ON THE GROUND IMPLEMENTING A LOT OF NON-LETHAL TOOLS, TRYING TO GET OUT AND BE PROACTIVE.

- WE'VE BOUGHT A LOT OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE TOLD US TO TRY JUST TO TRY IT BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE IN IT, YOU'LL DO ANYTHING TO STOP IT, RIGHT?

AND MY HUSBAND, HE HAS LOVED BEING A RANCHER AS LONG AS I'VE KNOWN HIM, WHICH WAS-- I MET HIM WHEN HE WAS 22.

AND HE'S READY TO QUIT BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT FUN ANYMORE.

- I'M THANKFUL THAT THERE'S A LOT OF RESOURCES OUT THERE, BUT WE STILL HAVE A BUSINESS THAT WE COULD LOSE.

AND I THINK A LOT OF US ARE REALLY BITTER AND FRUSTRATED ABOUT IT BECAUSE I WOULD MUCH RATHER PUT THAT MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE THAN FIGHTING OFF A PREDATOR THAT WE NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH.

- WE TREAT OUR ANIMALS VERY WELL.

WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM KILLED BRUTALLY.

AND IT'S JUST REALLY STRESSFUL.

YOU DON'T SLEEP.

EVEN WHEN YOU'RE NOT OUT IN THE COWS, EVERY LITTLE NOISE YOU THINK IS A WOLF.

- THE GAME CAMERAS ARE INCREDIBLY TIME CONSUMING, BUT THEY SEEM TO BE RELATIVELY EFFECTIVE.

WE DON'T EVER CATCH THE SAME WOLF ON THE CAMERA MORE THAN ONCE, FOR THE MOST PART.

THEY SEEM TO AVOID IT AFTER THEY'VE BEEN CAUGHT ON IT.

- OUR UNDERSTANDING FROM THE NEIGHBORING STATES IS ONCE THEY LEARN TO KILL YOUR LIVESTOCK, IT'S JUST LIKE WITH A BAD COYOTE OR A BAD BEAR.

THEY CONTINUE TO BE A PROBLEM.

- IN A WOLF PACK, WE'VE ALWAYS HEARD THAT THERE ARE ALPHAS.

THAT TERM HAS BEEN SORT OF MISUSED OVER THE COURSE OF TIME.

NOW, SCIENTISTS TYPICALLY REFER TO THEM AS THE BREEDING PAIR.

SO, IN THE WILD, YOU WOULD HAVE MOM AND DAD, WHO PEOPLE USED TO REFER TO AS THE ALPHAS, AND THEN THEIR PUPS.

THEY ALL WORK VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER, NOT ONLY TO SURVIVE, BUT THEY ALL BRING DIFFERENT TOOLS TO THE TABLE.

AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY WE ADVOCATE SO HARD FOR NON-LETHAL MEASURES IS BECAUSE WHEN WOLVES COME INTO CONFLICT AND WE KILL ONE OF THE BREEDING MEMBERS OF THE PACK, YOU HAVE NOW TAKEN AN ELDER, AN ANIMAL THAT HAS SO MUCH VALUABLE INFORMATION, NOT ONLY FOR SURVIVAL, BUT FOR TEACHING THEIR PUPS HOW TO HUNT, WHAT TO HUNT, WHAT'S APPROPRIATE TO HUNT, WHAT TO STAY AWAY FROM IN CASE IT CAN POTENTIALLY HARM YOU OR KILL YOU.

- THEY WON'T SETTLE HERE, THEN THEY WON'T SETTLE HERE.

BUT IF THEY GET COMFORTABLE HERE, WE'RE GOING TO JUST SEE A GROWING PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE NOT ALLOWED LETHAL CONTROL.

I PERSONALLY DON'T WANT LETHAL CONTROL FOR MYSELF, BUT I DO THINK THAT IF WE HAVE A WOLF THAT HAS PROVEN TO DO SOME DEPREDATING, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE LEARNED HOW TO GET THE EASY MEAL AND THEY WILL CONTINUE.

- SINCE WOLVES ARE A FEDERALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES IN COLORADO, TAKE IS PROHIBITED.

AND TAKE IS A REALLY GENERAL TERM THAT MEANS NOT ONLY LETHAL TAKE OF AN ANIMAL, BUT ALSO HARMING, HARASSING, CHASE, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT KINDS OF WORDS THAT MEAN THAT IT'S CHANGING THE BEHAVIOR OF ANIMALS.

AND SO, ALL OF THOSE KINDS OF ACTIONS WERE PROHIBITED.

- COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE HAD TO SECURE A PERMIT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, FROM THE U.S.

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, WHO MANAGES WOLVES BECAUSE THEY'RE LISTED UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT.

THAT PERMIT IN PART HAD A SPECIAL PROVISION CALLED THE 10-J RULE, WHICH ALLOWED COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE TO HAVE MORE MANAGEMENT FLEXIBILITY FOR WOLVES ONCE THEY'RE RESTORED HERE IN COLORADO.

- IT'S CALLED 10-J BECAUSE IT'S FROM SECTION 10 OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT.

AND WHAT IT FUNDAMENTALLY DOES IS IT ALLOWS SOME OF THOSE ACTIONS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE PROHIBITED TO OCCUR.

AND THROUGHOUT THAT STAKEHOLDER PROCESS, IT BECAME VERY CLEAR THAT THERE NEEDED TO BE SOME FLEXIBILITY.

WE NEED TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO MANAGE WOLVES BOTH IN KIND OF A DISRUPTIVE WAY, SO THAT IF THEY'RE CHASING LIVESTOCK OR IF THEY'RE IN THE AREA, WE CAN USE TOOLS TO TRY TO CHANGE THAT BEHAVIOR, TRY TO MOVE THEM AWAY.

- IF YOU CAN GET RID OF THE ONES THAT LEARN TO DEPREDATE, THAT'S THE BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE THAT THE CPW CAN DO FOR THE RANCHER, AND IT MAKES US WANT TO WORK WITH THEM THEN.

OTHERWISE, I THINK IT'S GOING TO CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS FOR COEXISTING DOWN THE ROAD.

- IN VERY RARE INSTANCES, IF WOLVES ARE OBSERVED IN THE ACT OF ATTACKING LIVESTOCK, THE 10-J ALLOWS SOME VERY LIMITED WAYS THAT WOLVES CAN BE KILLED.

IF IT'S NOT IN THAT SITUATION, THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE WILL PROSECUTE THAT.

AND THERE ARE SUBSTANTIAL FINES AND IMPLICATIONS, POTENTIALLY JAIL TIME, FOR KILLING ANY ENDANGERED SPECIES.

AND SO, KILLING A WOLF THAT'S NOT PART OF THE 10-J PROCESS IS DEFINITELY AN ILLEGAL EFFORT AND WILL BE INVESTIGATED.

- I JUST HOPE THAT WE REALLY DON'T HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THEM.

I REALLY HOPE THAT THEY ONLY GO AFTER WILDLIFE.

AND I THINK IF THEY CAN STAY AT A MANAGEABLE NUMBER, WE SHOULD HAVE LESS PROBLEMS WITH THEM.

[MUSIC] - AND SO, RIGHT NOW IN COLORADO, WOLVES ARE BOTH FEDERALLY ENDANGERED AND STATE ENDANGERED.

AND SO, TO BE DOWNLISTED TO STATE THREATENED STATUS, WE HAVE TO HAVE 50 WOLVES FOR A PERIOD OF FOUR YEARS.

IF WE THEN GET 150 WOLVES FOR TWO YEARS OR 200 WOLVES WITH NO TIME CONSTRAINT, IF WE MEET THAT MINIMUM COUNT OF 200 WOLVES, THEN WE CAN DOWNLIST FROM STATE THREATENED, OR DELIST RATHER, FROM STATE THREATENED TO A NON-GAME STATUS.

AND SO, THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WE HAVE A SELF-SUSTAINING POPULATION OF WOLVES.

THAT'S AS FAR AS WE GO.

WE DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT MANAGEMENT OF WOLVES LOOKS LIKE.

BEYOND THAT, WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THIS IS OUR POPULATION OBJECTIVE.

MANY OF OUR OTHER SPECIES, WE DO MANAGE TO DIFFERENT OBJECTIVES.

OUR UNGULATE POPULATIONS ARE VERY MUCH THAT WAY.

FOR WOLVES, IT'S NOT THAT WAY.

[HOWLING] - SO, WHETHER WOLVES CAN REBALANCE THINGS WILL BE THE CHALLENGE.

IT'LL BE THE CHALLENGE FOR THEM AND THE CHALLENGE FOR US.

CAN WE TOLERATE BEING AROUND A TOOTHY, VICIOUS, KILLING PREDATOR?

AND WE'LL SEE.

- AS WE LIVE WITH WOLVES, WHAT'S IT LIKE TO LIVE WITH 200 WOLVES?

OR WHAT'S IT LIKE TO LIVE WITH 500 WOLVES OR 1,000 WOLVES?

AND TIME WILL TELL.

BUT THE PLAN WILL BE REVISED PROBABLY SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE WE GET TO THAT POINT.

AND SO, THIS IS YEAR ONE OF PROBABLY A THREE OR FIVE YEAR PROCESS OF RESTORATION.

AND WE'LL SEE HOW ALL THOSE DIFFERENT ANIMALS THAT GET REINTRODUCED INTERACT AND START TO BREED AND HAVE PUPS, HAVE PACKS, DEVELOP PACKS, AND START TO DEFEND TERRITORIES.

- AND SO, WHAT'S EXCITING IS WE CAN NOW BEGIN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH RIGHT NOW.

SO, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT WHERE WOLVES ARE BEING REINTRODUCED AND SEEING WILL THEY CREATE SOME SORT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE.

AND MY HUNCH IS YES, BUT HOW MUCH, AND WHERE, AND WHEN, THAT'S HARD TO SAY.

- WHAT WE HOPE FOR WOLVES HERE IN COLORADO AND AT THE CHCC IS FOR COEXISTENCE.

WE DEFINE COEXISTENCE AS HAVING SUSTAINABLE POPULATIONS OF WOLVES CO-OCCURRING WITH THRIVING HUMAN ENDEAVORS, INCLUDING RANCHING AND RURAL LIVELIHOODS WITH MINIMAL CONFLICT.

SO, WE'RE WORKING TO HELP PEOPLE LIVE WITH WOLVES, AND WE'RE WORKING TO HELP WOLVES LIVE WITH PEOPLE.

- I'M CURIOUS HOW THE NEXT DECADE IS GOING TO LOOK.

YOU KNOW, NO RANCH FULLY MANAGES THE EXACT SAME.

EVEN IF WE'RE JUST MILES APART, WE HAVE DIFFERENT GROUND, WE HAVE DIFFERENT NATURAL RESOURCES, DIFFERENT LAYS OF THE LAND.

SO, IT'LL BE INTERESTING HOW IT ALL PLAYS OUT.

- GOOD BOY.

WE WORK VERY HARD TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE PROPER RESOURCES OUT THERE FOR NONLETHAL TOOLS AND SO THAT WE CAN FOSTER COEXISTENCE OVERALL BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN US VERSUS THEM THING.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING.

WE WANT OUR LANDSCAPES TO BE HEALTHY AND THRIVING.

WE WANT CLEANER WATER, CLEANER AIR, AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT LANDSCAPE THRIVE FOR GENERATIONS, AND WOLVES WILL HELP US GET THERE.

- YOU CAN'T ARGUE WITH MOTHER EARTH.

THE FACT IS SHE FIGURED IT OUT.

BUT ONE SPECIES HAS DONE A LOT OF DAMAGE IN THE COURSE OF A FEW HUNDRED YEARS.

RIGHT?

AND SO, AS A MEMBER OF THAT RATHER DESTRUCTIVE SPECIES, I AM EXTREMELY DEDICATED TO TRYING TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY AND UNDO SOME OF THAT DAMAGE.

[MUSIC] - THROUGH EDUCATION, HOPEFULLY PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND THAT WOLVES ARE AMAZING, THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL, THEY BELONG HERE, AND WE STILL CAN HAVE OUR PRODUCERS OUT THERE, TOO.

AND WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.

- I HOPE IN THE FUTURE, WE CAN GET PAST THIS POINT OF I'M ON THIS SIDE, I'M ON THIS SIDE.

I KIND OF HOPE WE ALL LEARN TO WORK TOGETHER.

ALL RIGHT GOOD MAMA.

[MOOS] YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT JUST MEAN RANCHERS UP HERE OPPOSING WOLVES AT ALL.

WE'RE TRYING TO SUPPORT OUR LIVELIHOOD, AND THIS IS THIS IS OUR LIFE.

I MEAN, THE WOLVES ARE HERE.

THEY'RE INTRODUCED.

I FEEL LIKE NOW, WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE WE NEED TO LEARN TO MANAGE IT.

AND I HOPE IN THE FUTURE, AND I THINK WE'LL GET THERE, THAT WE'LL GET TO THE POINT WHERE EVERYONE WORKS TOGETHER.

[MUSIC]