Colorado Launches Ambitious Wolf Reintroduction Program

Five gray wolves released into the wild amid controversy, marking the start of a program aiming to release 30 to 50 wolves over the next five years.

Five gray wolves were released into Colorado's Rocky Mountains as part of a voter-approved reintroduction program, marking the most ambitious wolf reintroduction effort in the U.S. in almost three decades.
The wolves, all caught in Oregon, include two pairs of 1-year-old male and female siblings and a 2-year-old male.
The reintroduction program has sparked controversy, with support largely coming from urban areas and opposition from rural areas where ranchers worry about attacks on livestock.
Colorado officials anticipate releasing 30 to 50 wolves within the next five years to fill in one of the last remaining major gaps in the western U.S. for the species.
To allay livestock industry fears, ranchers who lose livestock or herding and guard animals to wolf attacks will be paid fair market value, up to $15,000 per animal.