Colorado's plan to introduce wolves into its ecosystem faces a new hurdle as Washington state's Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 8-1 against providing the canines for the upcoming third year of releases. Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director Jeff Davis, in a virtual address, emphasized the importance of the transfer, stating it was "critical to serve a solid foundational population," as reported by CPR News. The Colorado restoration project, aiming to build up a population of 50 wolves, has already released 25 wolves sourced from Oregon and Canada.
Despite Colorado's willingness to cover the costs of capture and relocation, Washington Commissioner Lorna Smith voiced concerns, noting that Washington's wolves are not in a position to assist with that. Washington's wolf count saw a 9% decrease in the previous year, which has sparked a cautious approach to any transfer of wolves out of state. A resident from Bothell, expressing a sentiment shared by many locals before the vote, urged the commission to "prioritize the welfare of our endangered wolves before sending them elsewhere," as sourced from CPR News.
The federal government has also weighed in, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service directing Colorado Parks and Wildlife to "cease and desist" from importing wolves from regions outside the northern Rockies, which includes states like Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and eastern portions of Washington and Oregon. Yet, these Republican-led states have not shown any interest in aiding Colorado's restoration attempts, backing Colorado into a corner as their previous sources have been cut off due to federal intervention and neighboring states' refusal to cooperate, according to Missoula Current.
