DENVER (KDVR) — A Western Slope county’s board of commissioners is set to consider a proposed ordinance that would ban the reintroduction of gray wolves in the county.
The Montrose County commissioners in their regular meeting on Oct. 15 introduced the ordinance, titled the “Non-Native Species Ordinance,” that would prohibit the “introduction, transport, release, support, facilitation, or habitat establishment” of non-native animal species within unincorporated parts of the county.
The ordinance had its first reading at the meeting, and the commissioners will consider adopting it at the second reading.
According to a press release from the county, the ordinance explicitly covers “the Canadian gray wolf lineage,” which the state has been reintroducing into Colorado’s high country after voters approved bringing wolves back to Colorado.
“We respect wildlife, but we also have a duty to protect our way of life, our economy, and our property rights,” Commissioner Sean Pond, who brought the ordinance to the board in the Oct. 15 meeting, said in a press release. “This ordinance is about local control, responsible stewardship, and common sense.”
The ordinance states no entity will be able to:
- Introduce, release, transport, migrate, or allow the entry of any non-native animal species into Montrose County.
- Establish, construct, or designate any habitat, corridor, buffer, release zone, or
holding facility for such species. - Facilitate, harbor, support, or tolerate the intentional presence of such species,
regardless of land ownership or agency jurisdiction. - Claim exemption from this Ordinance based on federal or state authority without express written approval from the Montrose County Board of County Commissioners.
“This ordinance reflects the proactive duty of the Board of County Commissioners to defend its citizens, landowners, producers, and lawful wildlife management practices from external threats posed by radical environmental policy, federal overreach, and coerced rewilding efforts,” the ordinance states.
The ordinance has an enforcement clause that allows the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office to “enforcement, monitoring, and removal operations as necessary.”
It would make the introduction of non-native species a petty offense that comes with a $1,000 fine per incident, subject to injunctive relief. It would also make every day after the introduction of a prohibited species that the responsible party does not cause the removal of the species a separate violation.
The ordinance claims the state or any other entity “involved in wolf introduction shall bear all liability for any cattle depredation, property loss, or land devaluation arising from the presence of non-native species.”
Colorado began bringing gray wolves from the northern Rocky Mountains to the state after voters in 2023 approved Proposition 114, directing the state to reintroduce the species to the state.
Montrose County in its press release says this is where the non-native aspect comes from, as Colorado’s “original native subspecies, the Southern Rocky Mountain wolf, was eradicated prior to the mid-20th century and is now considered extinct.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists gray wolves as endangered at the species level, not subspecies anymore, throughout the contiguous United States. CPW also says Colorado is part of the species’ native range.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife began with 10 wolves captured in 2023 in Oregon, then 15 wolves captured in January from British Columbia, Canada. Releases occurred in Grand, Summit, Eagle and Pitkin counties, according to CPW.
The agency said this is the second of three to five release seasons.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
