Reporting on Wolf Reintroduction

In 2020, Proposition 114 — a plan to reintroduce and manage wolf restoration in the Rocky Mountains — was narrowly approved by Colorado voters. The proposition stated that wolves would be released back into the ecosystem no later than Dec. 31, 2023. The reporting I conducted on this subject began in Jan. 2023 and continued up until July 2023. Amidst this time, tensions between ecologists, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and livestock owners was palpable. My story began with Kent Weber, a man who has devoted his life to caring for wolves that could never be candidates for rehabilitation and release into the wild. His perspective was very intriguing to me — it seemed to transcend bureaucracy and speak to a connection we share with the natural world. My limited time reporting on this led to crucial elements being underrepresented — stories from Indigenous Peoples and livestock owners. In the future, I would be honored to interview and write for these perspectives. As of July 2025, there are four established wolf packs in Colorado.