This CU researcher set out to prove that moose are a native Colorado species. Here’s why it matters

If you ask a wildlife official – moose are relatively new arrivals to Colorado. In the late 1970s, wildlife managers released two dozen moose captured in other states into Routt National Forest near Walden. Before that, moose may have occasionally wandered in and out of Colorado, but didn’t have a permanent home here, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s official moose webpage. But a researcher at the University of Colorado says that history is all wrong – and that moose have been part of Colorado’s ecosystem for centuries.  William Taylor is an archeologist and associate professor of Anthropology at CU Boulder. He studied moose remains, along with Indigenous and historical records, that suggest moose roamed Colorado long before their reintroduction in the ‘70s. The research was recently published in the Journal of Biogeography. William joined Erin O’Toole to talk about the research and the questions it raises about the right way to treat the roughly 3,500 moose in Colorado today. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!  Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner  Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.