Five gray wolves were released into a remote area of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains on Monday, marking the start of the most ambitious wolf reintroduction effort in the U.S. in almost three decades.
The wolf release was the result of a voter-approved reintroduction program embraced by the state’s urban Democratic voters but opposed in conservative rural areas. The wolves were set free from crates in a Grand County location that state officials kept undisclosed to protect the predators.
Last Friday a judge denied a request from the state’s cattle industry for a temporary delay to the release. While the lawsuit will continue, Judge Regina Rodriguez’s ruling allows Colorado to proceed with its plan to find, capture and transport up to 10 wolves from Oregon. The deadline to complete the transfer is Dec. 31.
About 45 people watched the wolf release, which included Gov. Jared Polis.
Colorado officials plan to release 30 to 50 wolves over the next five years after voters approved the reintroduction in a 2020 ballot measure.
