Rocky Mountain NP wolf reintroduction case to be heard at CU-Boulder

On Thursday, the court will hear arguments in a lawsuit filed by Broomfield's WildEarth Guardians to compel Rocky Mountain National Park to fully analyze introducing wolves to the park to control elk herds.

Wendy Keefover, of WildEarth Guardians, said her organization sued after the national park, in creating its 2007 elk management plan, didn't fully consider releasing wolves as a management tool. The park service approved the 20-year plan to reduce the elk herd because overgrazing damaged habitat and threatened other species.

In the past, Rocky Mountain National Park officials said they considered using a small number of wolves to reduce the elk herd and keep the animals on the move so they couldn't damage the vegetation. But they have said they didn't have the necessary support from state and other federal agencies. They also said the park isn't big enough to contain the wolves long-term.

Keefover said the National Park Service failed to consider a reasonable range of alternatives to shooting elk. She said the agency's decision to allow hunting in a national park also violates the park's organic act, which prioritizes conservation.