Latest news with #CDFW
Epoch Times
a day ago
- Science
- Epoch Times
California Launches Wolf Mapping System in Wake of Attacks on Cattle
California ranchers say an online map that shows the approximate locations of GPS-collared wolves is a step in the right direction but lacks real-time tracking and accuracy to be truly effective. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW)
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
California officials confirm three new wolf packs in Northern California
( — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said it confirmed three new packs of gray wolves in Northern California in the first quarter of 2025. The Ashpan pack is located in eastern Shasta County and is made up of at least two wolves, the CDFW said. In eastern Tehama County, the Ishi pack has at least three members. The Tunnison pack in central Lassen County is made up of at least two wolves. CDFW said one of the Tunnison pack wolves, LAS32F, has a collar but it no longer functions. The agency said it investigated 33 reported livestock attacks in March, April, and the beginning of May. CDFW confirmed 18 were committed by wolves. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Newsweek
5 days ago
- General
- Newsweek
Wolves Are Returning To California
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. California wildlife officials reported the confirmation of three new gray wolf packs in the state's northern counties, raising the number of established packs to 10—a level not seen in over a century. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) said on Tuesday that the Ashpan pack in eastern Shasta County, the Tunnison pack in central Lassen County, and the Ishi pack in eastern Tehama County were identified in its most recent quarterly survey. Each pack was formed by wolves dispersing from neighboring areas. The new packs highlight ongoing recovery efforts for this apex predator in the American West, nearly a century after hunters and trappers eliminated wolves from the region's wilds. Why It Matters The re-establishment of wolves in California signals a major triumph for native wildlife conservation and ecosystem restoration. Wolves once roamed throughout North America but were eliminated from California by the 1920s. Their return has been both welcomed by conservationists, who cite wolves' role in maintaining ecological balance, and met with apprehension by ranchers concerned about livestock losses. This June 18, 2019, file photo from remote camera video provided by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife shows an adult wolf and three pups in Lassen County in Northern California. This June 18, 2019, file photo from remote camera video provided by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife shows an adult wolf and three pups in Lassen County in Northern California. California Department of Fish and Wildlife/AP What To Know A Century-Long Absence and a Slow Return California's last native gray wolf was killed in 1924. Only in 2011 did a wild wolf, OR-7, cross from Oregon into California, ending 87 years of absence. By 2015, resident packs began forming, with the Shasta Pack as the first confirmed since the species' extirpation. Protection and Recovery Wolves in California are protected under both state and federal endangered species acts, prohibiting their killing or harassment except in defense of human life. The CDFW and conservation groups have supported these protections to facilitate natural colonization, rather than formal reintroduction as seen in other states. Recent Growth and Current Packs The latest additions—the Ashpan, Tunnison, and Ishi packs—were identified through camera traps and field monitoring, joining established packs in Siskiyou, Lassen, Plumas, Sierra, Shasta, and Tulare counties. State biologists estimate that up to 70 wolves now reside within California's borders. Ongoing Challenges As wolves have returned, threats to livestock have increased. In April alone, wolves killed 13 calves and injured seven more, according to state data. Four rural counties have declared states of emergency citing threats to ranching. Ranchers and the California Cattlemen's Association have requested changes to wolf protections to allow broader strategies for managing depredation, but direct lethal control remains illegal. State Response and Future Habitat The CDFW has designated support funds for ranchers losing livestock to wolves and continues public outreach to address coexistence concerns. Wildlife officials estimate that California's wilderness could eventually support several hundred wolves. What People Are Saying Amaroq Weiss, senior wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement released May 28: "How wonderful to witness another year of continued growth in California's recovering wolf population. It's inspiring to watch this renaissance, and we should do everything we can to ensure California's wolves have every chance to thrive." Kirk Wilbur, lobbyist for the California Cattlemen's Association, told the Sacramento Bee: "We continue to have concerns that additional wolves mean additional depredation on livestock." What Happens Next State and federal wildlife agencies are expected to intensify monitoring and to update wolf management strategies, while ongoing dialogue continues between conservationists, government and the ranching industry to shape future coexistence policies.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
California's wild wolf population is howling back
Wild wolves are making a major comeback in California. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed on Tuesday that three new wolf packs have developed in the state: the Ishi pack in eastern Tehama County, the Tunnison pack in central Lassen County and the Ashpan pack in eastern Shasta County. This brings the total number of known wolf packs in California to 10. Amaroq Weiss, a senior wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, is celebrating the news. 'How wonderful to witness another year of continued growth in California's recovering wolf population,' Weiss said in a news release. 'It's inspiring to watch this renaissance, and we should do everything we can to ensure California's wolves have every chance to thrive.' Confirmation of the new packs is the latest step forward in the decades-long effort to reestablish wolves across the western United States. The gray wolf, native to California, was eradicated by the mid-1920s. Their return began with OR-7, a wolf from Oregon who entered California in late 2011. The first packs were confirmed in Washington and Oregon in 2008, followed by California in 2015. By the end of 2024, wildlife officials counted 75 individual wolf pack territories across the three states. In addition to the three new packs, California is home to the Whaleback pack in Siskiyou County, the Lassen pack, the Diamond pack, the Beyem Seyo pack, the Ice Cave pack, the Harvey pack and the Yowlumni pack, according to the CDFW. The department also noted two smaller groups of two to three wolves in northern California that do not yet qualify as packs. While many people are celebrating the return of wolves to California as a success, there are significant concerns, primarily among ranchers and rural communities, in areas where wolves are re-establishing themselves. 'The wolves are displaying behavior that is atypical,' wrote Lassen County Sheriff John McGarva in a recent letter to CDFW, saying the animals are increasingly encroaching on residential areas and seem to be unfazed by typical deterrents. He said wolves had reportedly killed six calves in the Big Valley area in March. Wolves are currently protected under both the California and federal Endangered Species Acts, underscoring the ongoing commitment to their recovery. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Placer County man sentenced for illegally selling Pacific lamprey
( — A man from Placer County was sentenced for the illegal distribution of Pacific lamprey fish, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Video Above: House removes federal protection for an endangered species Officials said Justin D. Lewis was sentenced to two years in jail and over $20,000 in fines last Wednesday in the Colusa County Superior Court for his role in commercializing the jawless fish. Lamprey fish are considered bait and are usually sourced from Alaska, the CDFW said. However, due to a downturn in the bait market, an illegal commercial market was created. The department also notes that lamprey have 'significant food and cultural value to Yurok tribal members in Del Norte County.' Calif. sports officials change rule following Trump threat over transgender athletes 'This case highlights the critical importance of protecting California's native species and the ecosystems they support,' said Nathaniel Arnold, Chief of Enforcement at CDFW. 'The illegal commercialization of lamprey not only threatens a vulnerable species but also disregards the cultural significance they hold for tribal communities.' The first year of Lewis's sentence will be served in the Colusa County Jail. The rest of his sentence will be on supervised release after incarceration, where his fishing and other outdoor privileges will be suspended. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
