Safari Club International opposes emotion-based ballot initiative efforts in Colorado to force the introduction of gray wolves despite the state’s opposition.
Recent efforts by anti-hunters and other extremist groups are attempting to make an end run around state authority by proposing to forcibly introduce gray wolves in Colorado.
These efforts would jeopardize ongoing wildlife management practices and could potentially be disastrous for human-wolf and livestock-wolf conflicts.
“Safari Club International supports well-managed, sustainable use conservation,” said SCI President Paul Babaz. “For this reason, we strongly oppose a forced introduction of wolves into Colorado. A federally protected species or any predator species that will share habitat with other wildlife and with human stakeholders cannot be introduced without the willing cooperation and careful planning of the state management authority.”
The Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife does not support artificial introduction of wolves. For that reason, forced wolf reintroductions will not only jeopardize the viability of other species that share wolf habitat, but also the wolves themselves.
“Safari Club International will not support a gray wolf reintroduction that does not have the support of the state management authority,” SCI President Babaz stressed. “We cannot support a reintroduction that will do more conservation harm than good.”
