Gov. Polis’s gray wolf dealer has bailed on Colorado and cancelled their deal to provide 10-15 animals to release on the Western Slope this year.
More than a dozen Indian tribes that make up the Colville Reservation in Washington state canceled the deal because of the impact these wolves might have on fellow tribes in Colorado and surrounding states.
From the letter to Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director Jeff Davis, reported by The Gazette:
“It has come to our attention that necessary and meaningful consultation was not completed with the potentially impacted tribes. Out of respect for the sovereignty, cultures, and memberships of Indian Tribes in Colorado and neighboring states, who may be impacted by this project, the Colville Tribes cannot assist with this project at this time.”
The parks and wildlife director pledged to find a new dealer but did not indicate whether the abrupt cancelation will affect the state’s plan to drop even more apex predators on ranchers and rural communities for this year.
The state initially promised not to introduce any wolves with a history of killing livestock, and yet that’s exactly what happened when five wolves from Oregon with depredation issues were released by Polis in December then later killed a cow and a calf.
Just this week, the state confirmed that eight sheep were killed by wolves in Grand County.
Sky-Hi News reports it was the14th wolf depredation incident confirmed in Colorado since reintroduction.
Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana all refuse to release wolves to Colorado.
And who can blame them?