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Axios
a day ago
- General
- Axios
Wolf recovery in California still fragile amid efforts to restore population
Only three of California's 10 active wolf packs had pups this year, per new state data. Why it matters: Wolves restore ecosystem balance by keeping deer and elk populations under control, preventing "overbrowsing" — excessive plant consumption by herbivores — and allowing vegetation to rebound. State of play: Recovery remains fragile. Small pack numbers, high pup losses, limited breeding pairs, low prey availability and threats from disease and habitat change can all slow their rebound. What they're saying:"It's concerning that there's no indication the other seven packs have had pups," said Amaroq Weiss, a senior wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. "For recovery to stay on track there needs to be more wolves in more places." By the numbers: 22 pups in California were born among three packs this year, per an Aug. 11 quarterly report from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Between the lines: Some packs likely didn't breed because their alpha male and female are siblings. Other packs, which had recently bred in previous years, may have had pups the state hasn't confirmed yet, Weiss told Axios. A total of 50 to 70 wolves live in California, fluctuations that vary widely because pup mortality rates tend to be high — often 50% or more in the first year — due to various natural and environmental factors, she added. Zoom in: Most of the state's wolves roam in and around Lassen National Forest in the northeast, but their range stretches from the Oregon border to Sequoia National Forest in the south. Zoom out: Elsewhere in the West, there are about 1,800 wolves in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho combined; roughly 200 each in Washington and Oregon; around 280 in Arizona and New Mexico combined; and about 10 in Colorado, per Weiss. Catch up quick: Gray wolves were wiped out in California by the 1920s amid a nationwide extermination campaign. Repopulation efforts began in 2011, when OR-7 — the first wolf identified in California in nearly a century — crossed in from Oregon.
Newsweek
29-05-2025
- 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
28-05-2025
- 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
15-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
California launches wolf tracking tool to help prevent livestock conflict
California wildlife officials have launched a public mapping system that displays the approximate locations of GPS-collared gray wolves across the state, offering a new tool for livestock producers to protect their herds. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced the system's debut Thursday, emphasizing its purpose as a proactive measure to reduce wolf-livestock conflicts. The Wolf Location Automated Mapping System displays the last known position of each collared wolf within a nearly 4.5-square-mile hexagonal area. Users can click on the map to view general location data, the pack's name and the most recent transmission date. 'California's rural livestock producers living near wolves have faced real challenges as the wolf population grows in California. This is one more tool in our shared toolkit to protect their herds from wolf-livestock conflict,' said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. Bonham vowed that the Department was focused on transparency and partnering with local communities and ranchers to ensure they 'have the knowledge they need to help prevent conflict.' The tool only tracks wolves fitted with GPS collars, which currently number 14. Collared wolves transmit data several times daily, and CDFW updates the map every morning. Specific sensitive data, such as den sites during pup season, will be withheld to help prevent harassment or illegal activity. Officials said the Department also reserved the right to shut down the system if the data is misused. The Center for Biological Diversity welcomed the new system, noting its potential to improve coexistence between wolves and ranchers. 'I'm hopeful that livestock operators will responsibly use the map to head off conflict,' said Senior Wolf Advocate Amaroq Weiss. 'Livestock-wolf conflicts are rare but both ranchers and wolves will benefit if we make them rarer still by giving a heads up when wolves are in the area so ranchers can act responsibly.' California's wolf population has been steadily growing since OR-7, a collared male from Oregon, crossed into the state in 2011. Wolves are listed as endangered under both state and federal law, and it is illegal to kill them except in defense of human life. For additional information, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
