Colfax County Joins Otero County in Passing Ordinance Prohibiting Release of Wolves, Jaguars and Grizzly Bears

Sangre de Cristo Chronicle, Angelfire, NM
April 10, 2008
V 34 no 15

Commissioners discuss wolf ordinance

Eric Fincher, staff writer

RATON — Reintroducing the gray wolf to the wilds of northern New Mexico was bound to raise a few eyebrows and turn a few heads.
Residents of Colfax County came to voice support for the county’s position on the issue and to show opposition to gray wolves being set free in the county. Ordinance 2008-1 was discussed during a special meeting that took place Tuesday April 1. Barbara Miller, a resident of Colfax County, voiced concern that the local government needs to stand up to the federal government.
“The rights of private property owners and residents’ way of life need to be taken into consideration,” Miller said. “The federal government doesn’t know what’s right for our communities.”
Ordinance 2008-1 “would prohibit the import or release of certain genera, specifically predators of the canis, ursus and felis genera, within the boundaries of Colfax County. Such an ordinance will serve a valid public purpose and will otherwise serve to promote the prosperity, public health, safety and welfare of the residents of the county.”
John King, a local rancher and member of New Mexico Cattle Growers, stated the county cannot let the federal government and environmentalists “overrun our lives” and the production of food.
“There needs to be concern for the safety of kids,” King said.
Section two of the ordinance says it is unlawful for any person, firm or entity to import for release into the wild within the boundaries of Colfax County. Penalties would be placed upon any firm or entity convicted of a violation of the ordinance. Parties found in violation would be guilty of a petty misdemeanor and would be “fined $300 and/or imprisonment of up to 90 days.”
Steve Boyce of the Express UUBar Ranch also gave his support to the county by stating, “property rights need to be defended.” Bob Ricklefs of Philmont Scout Ranch echoed Boyce’s sentiment.
“The federal government needs to look at what it is doing to people in rural areas,” Ricklefs stated. He also mentioned that he knows of dogs and horses that were killed by wolves and children that were chased.
Reintroducing the gray wolf has been in the works since the early 1970s. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service Web site, in 1976, the Mexican wolf, a subspecies of gray wolf, was listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. On March 29, 1998, captive-reared Mexican wolves were released to the wild for the first time in the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area.
Colfax County Commissioner Bill Conley stated that the New Mexico Association of Counties supports counties adopting ordinances against the reintroduction of wolves. The board voted unanimously to approve Ordinance 2008-1.