Reps. Hurd, Boebert, Crank, and Evans Release Joint Statement on Foreign Wolves Imported into Colorado

Washington, D.C. – House Representatives Jeff Hurd (CO-03), Lauren Boebert (CO-04), Jeff Crank (CO-05), and Gabe Evans (CO-08) released a joint statement following reports of Colorado Parks & Wildlife importing Canadian gray wolves into Colorado over this past weekend:

“After years of slighting or outright ignoring Colorado farmers and ranchers with politically appointed anti-agricultural activists and “meat-free days,” bureaucrats in Colorado have rushed through the importation of Canadian gray wolves and have set them loose in our state despite numerous protests and questions about the legality of this dysfunctional and chaotic approach. 

We are demanding answers from the Department of Interior on why agencies like the Bureau of Land Management have failed to provide any evidence of statutorily required updates to Resource Management Plans to address the importation of wolves and how they will impact our agricultural producers, our sovereign Indian tribes, sportsmen, and our oil & gas producers across the state. With wolf numbers surging across the country, we stand united in support of legislation like H.R. 130 to delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act and we urge the incoming Trump Administration to take immediate action by stopping further importation of these foreign predators into the United States. 

Colorado’s agricultural producers have lost $580,000 in just one year from wolves already introduced. We should be working with our farmers and ranchers who tirelessly labor to feed us, instead of hastily rushing foreign predators into our state and bloating even further a terribly mismanaged wolf program.” 

Background:

• Trust the Science Act: Congresswoman Boebert has reintroduced her Trust the Science Act, which passed the House in April 2024 with bipartisan support, as H.R. 130 which removes the gray wolf from the endangered species list. This legislation allows individual states, like Colorado, to regain control over wolf management and respond to local needs without federal overreach. Delisting the gray wolf would empower stakeholders, ranchers, farmers, and tribes—to mitigate wolf attacks on livestock and address conflicts with land use.
• Resource Management Plans: Under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, federal agencies like the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service are required to update RMPs to address new developments, such as Colorado’s wolf reintroduction. These plans are critical for resolving conflicts between wolves and land users, including ranchers, energy operators, and tribes.

Canadian Wolves and Rising Costs: Colorado’s decision to bypass U.S. sources and import wolves from Canada raises legal and ethical concerns. Meanwhile, the state program has faced escalating costs and documented livestock attacks, leaving ranchers frustrated and compensation programs underfunded.