The next wolves to be released in Colorado as part of the state’s reintroduction efforts will come from British Columbia, Canada, wildlife officials said Friday.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife will capture up to 15 wolves from the Canadian province this winter, the agency announced in a news release. CPW had previously planned to capture wolves from the lands of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in Washington, but the tribes withdrew the agreement in June, citing concerns from Colorado tribes.

The catch and release operation will begin in December and could last until March, CPW said. Biologists from the British Columbia Ministry of Water, Lands and Resources will assist.

“We learned a lot from last year’s successful capture and transport efforts and will apply those lessons this year as we work to establish a self-sustaining wolf population in Colorado,” said Eric Odell, CPW’s wolf conservation program manager, in the release.

The wolves will be examined for injuries and illnesses before being transported to Colorado. Sick or injured wolves will not be transported, nor will wolves from packs that are “currently involved in repeated livestock predation situations,” CPW said.

CPW’s wolf management plan for the voter-mandated initiative identified Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming as ideal sources for wolves. However, those states rejected Colorado’s requests to use their wolf packs as a source.

CPW biologists captured the first batch of reintroduced wolves in Oregon and released them in Summit and Grand counties in December.

Three of the 10 wolves have since died. One of the surviving wolves is back in captivity with her four pups after a series of cattle killings.