Denver, Colorado - In a significant development for conservationists, a federal judge has denied a request from the Colorado cattle industry for a temporary delay in the reintroduction of gray wolves in Colorado, allowing the state's plan to move forward. The ruling, issued by Judge Regina Rodriguez, permits Colorado to capture and transport up to 10 wolves from Oregon starting Sunday in order to meet the December 31 deadline set by the voter-approved initiative.

The Colorado Cattlemen's Association and The Gunnison County Stockgrowers' Association had filed a lawsuit alleging that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had not adequately reviewed the potential impacts of Colorado's wolf reintroduction plan, which aims to release up to 50 wolves in the state over the next few years. The associations expressed concerns about the inevitable wolf attacks on livestock and the resulting financial burden on ranchers, who play a crucial role in driving local economies.

Attorneys representing the U.S. government countered that the necessary environmental reviews had been conducted and argued that any future harms from the wolf reintroduction would not be irreparable. They highlighted a state compensation program that provides up to $15,000 per animal for livestock killed by wolves, a measure aimed at mitigating ranchers' losses.

In her ruling, Judge Rodriguez emphasized the public interest in adhering to the will of the people of Colorado, who voted for wolf reintroduction in a 2020 ballot initiative. She acknowledged ranchers' concerns but ultimately found that they did not outweigh the larger goal of honoring the public's decision.

Gray wolves were nearly eradicated across most of the U.S. due to government-sponsored poisoning and trapping campaigns by the 1930s. They were granted endangered species protections in 1975 when their population in northern Minnesota had dwindled to approximately 1,000. Since then, wolves have made a significant recovery in the Great Lakes region and have been reintroduced to various western states, including Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, Washington, and most recently, California, through an earlier reintroduction effort in the 1990s.

The ruling by Judge Regina Rodriguez will allow Colorado to proceed with its plan to reintroduce gray wolves, marking a pivotal step in conservation efforts and bringing hope for the revival of these apex predators in the state's wilderness. As the wolf reintroduction continues to unfold, debates surrounding the delicate balance between wildlife conservation and the needs of ranchers are expected to persist.