Colorado Parks and Wildlife Releases Draft East Slope Mountain Lion Management Plan

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has released its draft East Slope Mountain Lion Management Plan. The public is encouraged to review and provide input on the draft plan at EngageCPW by June 14.

Earlier this year, CPW held eight public meetings to present information on mountain lions in Colorado, share details on the East Slope Mountain Lion Management Plan, and hear from the public about their perspectives on mountain lions around their community. The perspectives heard at these meetings were considered when formulating the draft plan.

CPW’s mountain lion management plans employ advances in research to conserve mountain lions around the state. The draft plan and public input form is now available at Engage CPW. Public input on the draft plan will be accepted through Friday, June 14.

Public input on the draft plan will be gathered and reviewed by CPW staff as part of the planning process prior to developing a final draft plan. The final draft plan will be presented to the Parks and Wildlife Commission (PWC) to consider for approval later this year. Any public comments after June 14 should be directed to the Parks and Wildlife Commission.

Once approved by the PWC, the Final East Slope Mountain Lion Management Plan will provide the framework for CPW to maintain a stable mountain lion population on the East Slope of Colorado.

Why is CPW proposing an East Slope Lion Management Plan?
In 2020, CPW created its West Slope Mountain Lion Management Plan in recognition that larger, regional management scales are most closely aligned with the wide-ranging movements of lions across Colorado’s landscapes and allow for managers to draw more accurate inferences from population composition and mortality data. With the West Slope plan underway, CPW is currently formulating a corresponding plan for the eastern half of the state. The East Slope Lion Plan’s objective is to maintain stable mountain lion populations in the region by defining and implementing clear annual thresholds for adult female harvest and total human-caused mortality (e.g., harvest and roadkill or agricultural conflicts).

What is a management plan?
For CPW, a management plan provides a science-based framework to coordinate strategies for maintaining healthy, resilient wildlife populations alongside demand for outdoor recreation opportunities. With development and urbanization increasing in the state, management is necessary to maintain the stability of Colorado’s mountain lion populations relative to what the landscape and social tolerance can support.

CPW’s mountain lion management plans employ advances in research, including insights from recent long-term projects in Colorado, to maintain lion populations and provide multiple opportunities for the public to appreciate this species.

Learn more about mountain lions and mountain lion management in Colorado on CPW’s website.