predators

“I think that the one sentiment that everybody maybe can share today is that they're glad that it's over,” said Cali O’Hare.

Sublette County’s Roberts changed his plea to guilty of felony animal cruelty at an in-person hearing. It was the first time he’s spoken publicly since the 2024 incident that sparked global outrage.

Cody Roberts ran down a wolf with a snowmobile and brought it into a bar in Feb. 2024. This was the first time Roberts has publicly appeared and talked on the issue.

As predators like grizzly bears and gray wolves expand their ranges or are being recovered to more habitats, wildlife managers in the Mountain West are increasingly tasked with preventing conflicts between the animals and people. Some are turning to new strategies and technologies, including drones.

Cody Roberts was charged with felony animal cruelty 18 months after the incident. What comes next will likely unravel over the fall.

Global outrage ensued after a Wyoming man ran down a wolf with a snowmobile and brought the live animal into a bar for hours in Feb. 2024. For 18 months no criminal charges were made, until now.

A controversial legal tool rarely used in the state system will determine if Cody Roberts is charged with a felony for alleged wolf torture.

It's been a year since a rural ranching community in Sublette County was cast into the international spotlight because of outrage over what many deemed "torture" of a wolf. The legalities and culture around the incident are still hot button issues.

It’s been almost a year since a Sublette County man ran down a wolf with a snowmobile and brought the live animal into a bar, sparking global outrage. One bill recently failed that would’ve banned the act of running a predator over with a vehicle on public land – something many wildlife advocates have called for.

Wyoming lawmakers officially advanced a bill that attempts to prevent a repeat of the inhumane treatment of a wolf in Sublette County earlier this year. But they didn’t choose to outlaw what many consider a key part of the incident: running a wolf over with a snowmobile.