Federal Judge Upholds Wolf Reintroduction in Colorado Despite Rancher Lawsuit

A federal judge has denied a request from Colorado's cattle industry to temporarily halt the reintroduction of gray wolves in the state. The judge's ruling allows Colorado to proceed with its plan to capture and transport up to 10 wolves from Oregon starting Sunday. The lawsuit, filed by the Colorado Cattlemen's Association and The Gunnison County Stockgrowers' Association, claims that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service failed to adequately review the potential impacts of the wolf reintroduction plan. However, the judge ruled that the ranchers' concerns did not outweigh the public interest in meeting the will of the people of Colorado, who voted for wolf reintroduction in a 2020 ballot initiative.