Colorado wildlife officials complete wolf transfer from B.C. but face threats against staff during the operation
Colorado: Wildlife officials have wrapped up the transfer of 15 grey wolves from British Columbia to Colorado. But it hasn’t been all smooth sailing. They reported that their staff faced some serious threats during the process.
This operation kicked off back in January and finished recently. It was part of a plan approved by Colorado voters to bring grey wolves back to the state, where they’re considered endangered.
However, not everyone is on board with this plan. Colorado Parks and Wildlife mentioned that their staff received threatening calls and social media messages while the wolves were being relocated.
They even said their officers felt like they were being watched. It’s a tough situation, especially since two of the ten wolves released in 2023 were shot illegally.
The recent operation involved capturing seven male and eight female wolves from areas in B.C. where there’s been a push to reduce predators to help caribou populations.
Interestingly, grey wolves aren’t endangered in B.C. In fact, the province has been culling them since 2015 to protect caribou, which has sparked quite a bit of controversy.
Colorado Parks assured that the wolves received top-notch veterinary care, although sadly, one wolf died after capture. The vets think its age and health issues might have played a role.
To minimize conflicts with livestock, the captured wolves were taken from areas that don’t overlap with farms. Plus, the B.C. government worked with local First Nations during the planning stages of this project.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife covered all the costs for capturing and transporting the wolves. They also mentioned that there won’t be any more releases planned for the next season, which is part of a larger plan spanning several years.
This report was originally published by The Canadian Press.
