The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission rejected Colorado’s request in an 8-1 vote.

DENVER — Washington state’s Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 8-1 not to give Colorado wolves this winter. 

Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s (CPW) director wants to introduce wolves for a third straight winter, but CPW has not yet publicly secured a source.

CPW Director Jeff Davis spoke to Washington’s Wildlife Commission virtually Saturday morning, making the case to his former employer.

“I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that I’ve had the privilege and honor of serving Washington state residents for over 20 years,” Davis reminded the commission.

Davis came to Colorado from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

“I do want to acknowledge the magnitude of our request, and your mandate to deliver benefits to Washington’s beneficiaries, and that this request is based on Colorado’s urgency and not your own. I do offer that you have the opportunity to help gray wolf recovery on a larger scale by helping us establish a sustainable population of wolves that are critical to the recovery in the southern Rocky Mountains,” Davis said.

9NEWS Investigates first reported CPW had signed a deal with British Columbia to import wolves from Canada for a second straight year. That contract was signed Oct. 3. A week after CPW signed that deal, the head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sent a letter to CPW telling Davis to “cease and desist” from importing wolves. That letter is dated Oct. 10.

The conflict between Colorado and the federal government resulted in British Columbia pausing its deal with CPW.  

“At this time there is no plan for WDFW to provide wolves to Colorado. It is not being discussed or on an agenda for a future Commission meeting at this time either,” a spokesperson for Washington’s Department of Fish and Wildlife told 9NEWS on Oct. 27.

By Nov. 7, that had changed.

“The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Director and Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission have received a request from Colorado to provide wolves for release, and are reviewing it,” a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesperson told 9NEWS.

Washington’s commission debated the request on Saturday, Nov. 15. 

“I believe that we are making a decision very quickly, in response to the actions of the federal government, with virtually no information, and I don’t believe that is the right way to go,” one Washington Commissioner stated during their Saturday meeting, before the vote.

The commissioners voted 8-1 against providing wolves to Colorado right now; however, several commissioners expressed openness to revisiting the request in the future, if wolves are not listed as an endangered species in Washington.