Southwest Colorado spans dramatic terrain from desert floors to towering mountain peaks — and the wildlife that call it home have a story as compelling as the landscape itself. By the late 1800s, bighorn sheep, elk, deer, turkeys, and native trout were pushed to the brink of vanishing entirely. What followed was one of the most extraordinary conservation turnarounds in the American West. Today, Colorado boasts the largest elk population of any western state, wild turkey numbers have rebounded from just 250 birds to over 35,000, and native bighorn sheep once again navigate the craggy high country. But the story isn’t over. Gray wolves are returning, Gunnison sage grouse are being protected, and the native Colorado Pikeminnow is being restored to the Colorado River Basin. All thanks to the ongoing efforts from communities that care.
The Power of Place Magazine is a special initiative of the Colorado 150 Southwest organizing committee, featuring 20 articles by professional historians and local writers exploring Southwest Colorado’s rich and complex heritage.
This story is sponsored by Alpine Bank, Sky Ute Casino and Strater Hotel.
Watch the full series, Voices of the Past: Southwest Colorado.
Transcript
Southwest Colorado stretches across a dramatic canvas from true deserts to towering peaks. It’s a land of extremes shaped by time, and teaming with wildlife that are a wonder to behold. Creatures that are iconic and elusive, some found nowhere else on earth and others roam all across the centennial state. Each animal has its own story from ancient times to their survival. Today we can see the evidence etched in stone across the canyons and the cliffs of the west. Petroglyphs and petro graphs speak of a deep and enduring relationship between people and wildlife. As markets for meat, fur and minerals expanded, the wildlife we now celebrate became dangerously scarce. By the late 18 hundreds, big horns, elk, deer, turkeys, and even native trout were on the brink of vanishing from the Colorado landscape. What followed was one of the most remarkable conservation turnarounds in the American West. The big horn sheep, Colorado state animal is aptly named for its spiral horns that can weigh up to 30 pounds. These animals are mountain athletes, leaping 20 feet balancing on ledges two inches wide, and scaling off cliff faces with ease. During the ruing season, Rams clash head to head at speeds of up to 40 miles an hour. Once nearly extra painted color. Colorado’s native bighorn herds are found throughout the southwest high country. Look for their white rump patches that look like woolly long Johns as they navigate the craggy kingdom. Colorado today boasts the largest elk population of any western state with more than 250,000 elk. But in 1910, fewer than a thousand remained. The state began restoring elk in 1912, and one of its first major efforts was to use the Durango and silver to narrow gauge to deliver a rail car of Yellowstone elk to Hermosa Creek. Wild turkeys are more than a holiday meal. They’re a sign of a healthy, diverse forest. By 1925, only about 250 turkeys remained in Colorado. In 19 46, 81, birds launched the restoration of these wild birds across the state and to nearby states. There are now more than 35,000 wild turkeys across the state of two types. The native Miriams, which are found across the mountains and foothills west of I 25 and the Rio Grande, which inhabit the Eastern Plains Colorado’s wildlife story is far from Finn, are new chapters are already being written. Gray wolves are being returned to our landscapes. Conservation groups are working to protect endemic and endangered Gunnison sage grouse. Various agencies are trying to restore the native Colorado Pike minnow, which was once abundant in the Colorado River Basin. So who are the authors of our story? The San Juan Mountains, the Red Rock canyons, the rivers, the forests, the wildlife, and perhaps most of all the people who protect, restore, and reimagine what’s possible in the next 150 years. To read this story, visit Colorado one 50 southwest.org. Alpine Bank, committed to Colorado, and you.
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