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coloradoEfforts to reintroduce the gray wolf are facing a major challenge as the Trump administration has directed states to stop importing them. CanadaThis could potentially hamper further releases this winter.
Next, the state began releasing wolves west of the Continental Divide in 2023 colorado Voters gave modest approval to wolf reintroduction in 2020.
About 30 wolves now roam the state’s mountainous regions, with a long-term management plan targeting 200 or more.
However, the program has proven unpopular in rural areas, where some wolves have attacked livestock. Now, after two winter releases during the Presidential Joe BidenWolf opponents of the administration appear to have received support from federal officials under President donald trump,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik told Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director Jeff Davis that Colorado’s wolves may have come from the northern part. of rocks That’s according to a recent letter posted by the Fence Post agricultural news publication.
Most of those states – including yellowstone area state of idahomontana and Wyomingwhere are the wolves from Canada Were reintroduced in the 1990s – have stated that they do not want to be a part of Colorado’s reintroduction.
Due to this, Colorado may face difficulties this winter. The state plans to relocate 10 to 15 wolves under an agreement with British Columbia Department of Water, Land and Resource Management Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Luke Perkins said in a statement Friday.
According to Perkins, the agreement was signed before the state received the October 10 letter from Nesvik. He said the state “continues to evaluate all options to support this year’s gray wolf release” after receiving “recent guidance” from the Fish and Wildlife Service.
Although some reintroduced wolves from Colorado have oregonRecently released wolves have arrived British Columbia,
The issue now is whether the federal agency required that wolves come only from the North American Rocky Mountain states when it designated Colorado’s “experimental” population of reintroduced wolves.
A federal notice announcing the designation in 2023 describes the Northern Rockies area only as a “preferred” and not essential source of wolves.
Defenders of Wildlife lawyer Lisa Saltzberg said in a statement that the Fish and Wildlife Service is “twisting the language” by saying wolves cannot come from Canada or alaska,
People in Colorado “should be proud of our state’s leadership in conservation and coexistence, and the wolf reintroduction program reflects those values,” Saltzberg said.
The Colorado governor’s office and Colorado Parks and Wildlife are in contact with the Interior Department about the letter and are evaluating “all options” for allowing the release of wolves this year, Shelby Wyman, a spokeswoman for Gov. Jared Polis, said by email.
Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman Garrett Peterson, whose voicemail said he would not be available until the government shutdown ends, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.