Staff Reports
Joe Rogan has raised eyebrows and more than a few alarm bells over Colorado’s latest eco-experiment: reintroducing wolves into the state. On a recent social media rant, he shared a graphic image of a mutilated elk carcass–a not-so-gentle nudge to his followers that nature isn’t always the Disney movie it’s cracked up to be. His friend’s tranquil ranch near Aspen is now the scene of a wolf sighting spectacle, with carnivores prowling the local area without so much as a heads-up from state officials.
It seems that the people who were all in favor of bringing back these furry predators—thanks to an enthusiastic vote in 2020—might not have fully contemplated the consequences. Rogan, who enjoys a good laugh about life’s ironies, isn’t laughing now. He expressed a genuine affection for wolves but also highlighted a not-so-funny truth: ballot box biology is a recipe for disaster. He pointed out that the very folks who voted for this wolf renaissance might be blissfully unaware of what they were signing up for, and they’ll surely pay the price.
Today, history was made in CO. For the first time since the 1940s, the howl of wolves will officially return to western CO. The return of wolves fulfills the will of voters who, in 2020, passed an initiative requiring the reintroduction of wolves starting by Dec. 31, 2023.
— Governor Jared Polis (@GovofCO) December 19, 2023
Since the reintroduction kicked off in December 2023, ranchers have been counting the cost, both to the livestock and their own livelihoods. Reports have surfaced that wolves have taken down at least 15 cattle and nine sheep already, prompting panic among local farmers. It’s a classic case of “what did you expect?” for those who thought a picturesque view of wolves leaping across snow-covered mountains was all that would come from this wildlife revival. For the ranchers, it’s turned from hopeful ecological balance to sheer chaos.
In a desperate move, these ranchers are now putting the pressure on Colorado’s Democratic Governor Jared Polis to step in and restore some sanity. Letters sent to the governor reveal a troubling trend: ongoing dialogues have fallen on deaf ears, while their sheep (not to mention their wallets) are being ravaged. The wolves have gone from being portrayed as majestic creatures vital to restoring ecosystems to a threat lurking just beyond the pasture fence, and the ranchers aren’t taking it lightly.
Rogan’s final thoughts painted a rather ominous picture for the future of Aspen and its residents, warning that things are going to get “very weird” as the wolf population swells. He presciently envisioned a day when hunting permits might be needed for these heavyweights of the wilderness, but good luck finding them when they decide to hightail it into the trees. If there’s one thing this wolf reintroduction saga proves, it’s that not all of nature’s reboots will have a happy ending.
