Wolf transfer from B.C. to Colorado complete, but state wildlife staff ‘threatened’

Colorado wildlife officials say the capture of 15 grey wolves in British Columbia and their release in the U.S. state is complete, an operation they say led to unspecified threats against staff.

The operation that began in B.C. on Jan. 10 and wrapped up on Saturday follows Colorado voters’ approval of a 2020 ballot initiative to reintroduce grey wolves to the state, where the animals are listed as endangered.

But the program has stirred opposition, and a statement from Colorado Parks and Wildlife on Sunday says its staff have been threatened over the relocations.

It says its officers were “watched” and were targeted by threatening phone calls and social media posts.

The department says it did not share details while the wolf release was underway due to the “safety risk and security needs of our staff and the animals.”

It adds that two of the 10 wolves reintroduced in Colorado in 2023 have been illegally shot.

This month’s operation involved the capture of seven male wolves and eight females from areas in B.C.’s central Interior where “predator reduction” of threatened caribou populations occurs, the department says.

Grey wolves are not considered threatened or endangered in B.C. and the province began culling the predators in 2015 in an effort to save caribou, a controversial program that involves shooting wolves from helicopters.

The statement from Colorado Parks says the translocated wolves received a “high level of veterinary care,” but one wolf died following its capture.

An examination by veterinary staff found the animal’s age and underlying condition may have contributed to its death, the department says.

The wolves from B.C. were captured in areas that do not overlap with livestock, a measure aimed at minimizing the risk they will prey on farm animals in their new home.

The B.C. government consulted First Nations in the areas where wolves were identified for capture, the statement from Colorado Parks says, and three nations took part in the planning and operational phases for the project.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife was responsible for all of the costs associated with the capture and transport of the wolves, it says.

The department says no further releases are planned for the 2024-2025 season, the second of three to five release seasons the state has planned.