Rep. Jeff Crank, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, posted a series of statements on January 21, 2026, addressing issues related to wildlife management in Colorado and recent legislative developments.
In his first post, Rep. Crank expressed support for state wildlife officials reviewing wolf reintroduction efforts. On January 21, he wrote: “I fully support Director Nesvik’s authority to conduct a full scope review of the Wolf Re-introduction Program. I appreciate him listening to my concerns with the program and assuring me US Fish & Wildlife would include the survival rate as part of their review.”
He followed up with criticism regarding compliance with established wildlife management protocols. In another post dated January 21, he stated: “CPW is failing to comply with their management plan and the terms of the US Fish & Wildlife 10(j) permit. Only 60% of the wolves introduced have survived, below the REQUIRED minimum of 70% under Colorado’s own management plan.” The Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) agency has been responsible for overseeing wolf reintroduction in accordance with federal permits and state guidelines.
Later that day, Rep. Crank commented on recent legislative action supporting pregnant women and families. He announced: “PASSED: The Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act! Pregnancy centers offer hope and opportunity, promoting life and giving necessary and lifesaving resources to mothers and fathers.” This legislation aims to provide additional resources for pregnancy centers that assist expecting parents.
The debate over wolf reintroduction in Colorado has been ongoing since voters approved Proposition 114 in 2020, which mandated the restoration of gray wolves to certain parts of the state by December 2023. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Section 10(j) permit allows states flexibility in managing reintroduced species but requires adherence to specific survival benchmarks.
