Se Colorado News

The Pet and Livestock Protection Act, a legislative proposal by Congresswoman Lauren Boebert and Congressman Tom Tiffany, recently underwent a significant hearing in the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries. The bill aims to remove the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List, arguing for state-level management and aligning with the interests of the agricultural community.

Congresswoman Boebert emphasized the scientific consensus, stating, "The science is very clear on this issue: gray wolves should no longer be on the Endangered Species List." She expressed her intention to push the bill forward to protect ranchers and farmers, highlighting bipartisan acknowledgment of the gray wolf's recovery.

Congressman Tiffany underscored the impact of unmanaged gray wolf populations, stating, "We've all witnessed the slaughter of pets, livestock, and deer herds across rural America." He reinforced the need for state management of wolf populations, detached from federal oversight.

Dr. Nathan Roberts, a Professor of Conservation and Wildlife Management, supported the bill during the hearing, declaring, "The Pet and Livestock Protection Act would formalize what the Department of the Interior has repeatedly stated under multiple presidential administrations—that gray wolves are recovered."

The act proposes reissuing the 2020 rule by the Department of the Interior, which removed the species from the list. This move was initially executed under the Trump administration and based on extensive scientific research, resulting in delisting the gray wolf in the lower 48 states by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Despite this, a 2022 judicial decision in California reinstated the gray wolf's protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), citing insufficient recovery. This led to tension in Colorado, where stakeholders are divided over how to manage incoming gray wolves from Canada and the financial implications of wolf depredation claims.

The act is co-sponsored by 31 Members of Congress, and it has found support among various stakeholders, including agricultural and wildlife organizations. These include the American Farm Bureau Federation, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and the Colorado Farm Bureau, among others.

The ongoing debate over the management of gray wolf populations highlights a clash between federal judicial decisions and state governance preferences, with implications for agricultural interests and wildlife conservation strategies.