Wolverine reintroduction bill is introduced through Colorado Legislature

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and a bipartisan group of legislators joined together on Monday to announce legislation that would give the agency the authority to reintroduce the North American wolverine to Colorado.

Colorado wildlife officials considered the restoration of wolverine, along with Canada lynx, in the 1990s. However, due to complexities, the wolverine restoration plans were delayed in favor of lynx restoration. After lynx restoration was deemed a success, CPW returned to the idea in 2010 and completed a plan for reintroduction informed by partners and stakeholders, but that was halted because of uncertainty surrounding a federal listing decision.

Because the wolverine has been listed as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act, SB24-171 states that reintroduction of wolverines would not begin until a final rule designating the North American wolverine in Colorado as a nonessential experimental population (known as a 10(j) rule), had taken effect.

“Colorado is the right state to take on this work,” said CPW Director Jeff Davis. “The North American wolverine requires a high-elevation habitat with persistent, deep snowpack, and Colorado has some of the best remaining unoccupied wolverine habitat in the lower 48 states. This legislation would put us on the right path toward a successful wolverine reintroduction effort in Colorado.”

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