Colorado Parks and Wildlife has been on the defensive over its handling of wildlife, from the rollout of wolf reintroduction to hunting regulations to mountain lions. Now staff and commissioners are facing a recurring challenge: threats against their safety and personal freedoms.
“Staff are charged with doing things that really can’t make everybody happy,” commissioner Dallas May said Wednesday during opening remarks at the state Parks and Wildlife Commission’s first monthly meeting of 2026 in Denver. Among the topics they addressed were the killing of two mountain lions in Larimer County after Fort Collins resident Kristen Marie Kovatch was found dead on New Year’s Day near Drake, a lion near her body.
CPW acting director Laura Clellan said, “CPW does not take lethal actions lightly, and we approach these situations with seriousness, care and respect for both human and wildlife.”…