Wolves continue to return to California.
Wildlife authorities have confirmed the presence of two gray wolf packs in Northern California, and estimate that there are now more of the endangered predator roaming the state – up from 44 recorded last year.
The newly formed Diamond pack roams about 50 miles north of Lake Tahoe, and another new pack – as yet unnamed – is from south of Lassen Volcanic National Park, according to Axel Hunnicutt, state gray wolf coordinator for the Department of California. Fish and Wildlife.
Four years ago, there was only one pack. Now there are nine, according to a map released by CDFW this month. And with 30 puppies being born this year, more are expected.
“The population has grown exponentially, and we're in a situation where the number of animals that reproduce is important,” Hunnicutt said.
A wolf from the newly formed Diamond Pack, which is about 50 miles north of Lake Tahoe, was captured by a camera trap.
(UC Berkeley California Wolf Project)
Experts say canids with wide burrows can help balance ecosystems and conservationists are celebrating their resurgence. But their presence brings challenges such as the need to protect livestock, which makes the government invest in research to be able to manage growing species.
The Diamond Pack, located in the Sierra Valley Mountains, is made up of two wolves, one of which is known to be a female, Hunnicutt said. There is no evidence that wolves are breeding pairs.
The undisclosed pack includes two older wolves and at least two cubs, he said. They are from an area that includes Shasta, Lassen, Tehama and Plumas counties.
Photos of both new packs were caught on camera.
The Golden State's gray wolves were hunted and driven to extinction a hundred years ago. The last documented wild wolf in California was shot in 1924 in Lassen County.
California's dramatic rewilding began 13 years ago when a wolf from northeastern Oregon known as OR-7 entered the Golden State.
It didn't last, and the first confirmed package didn't catch on until 2015, Hunnicutt said.
The population started growing two years ago and is now poised for “almost noticeable” growth given the number of cubs born this year, he said.
A 2016 state conservation plan estimated that the area north of Interstate 80 could support about 370 to 500 wolves.
Gray wolves in the lower 48 states, especially in California, usually weigh 75-80 pounds. They are reasonably tall, with wider noses and rounder ears than the foxes they often mistakenly think of.
“People send us reports, and it's interesting because they'll describe this great experience they had, and they'll say it was 150 pounds, 'It was the biggest dog-like animal I've ever seen,'” he said. “And that's usually not a wolf. Wolves are not big.”
Most of the reports they get are from Los Angeles, he said, where there are no known wolves.
Having more wolves brings about changes in the ecosystem, which the state wants to understand better.
Hunnicutt expects coyote numbers, which are “automatically high,” to drop in areas where wolves are established. The same goes for mountain lions, which are currently top dogs.
But wolves also feast on cattle and other livestock, which may endanger the lives of farmers. Livestock conflicts are increasing as the wolf population increases, he said.
That and other complex issues related to invasive species prompted the state wildlife agency to partner with UC Berkeley to conduct research that it hopes will close gaps in information and guide management. The multi-year California Wolf Project began earlier this year.
“As wolves move into more areas, into new areas, and more and more people deal with these animals in the area, I think more information is needed to support sound management decisions, and to support people who live day to day. daily lives and livelihoods and all that may change – good, bad or otherwise,” says Christina Winters, a master's student who leads the project.
There will be two main areas of study: assessing the environmental and social impacts of domesticated animals returning to the state.
Winters leads field work on the ecology side, which includes deploying a large grid of camera traps in areas where wolves live in addition to collecting scat and investigating areas where predators have spent time.
The social science component will include community surveys, including asking livestock owners about their thoughts on non-lethal prevention and experience with direct contact with wolves, he said.
Amaroq Weiss, senior wolf advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity, called California's wolf recovery “amazing news” — and evidence of the protections they're getting. They are listed as endangered under state and federal law.
But some of the defenses may be under attack.
Wolves were delisted during Donald Trump's first presidency, too the motion was defended by the Biden administration. Although the court overruled the decision, the court overruled it he applied this year.
“Every time there's a change in administration, we see efforts to strip wolves of their protection,” under both Republican and Democratic leadership, Weiss said.
Weiss expects that wildlife officials will again try to strip the protections, and there may be efforts made in Congress.
State protections will remain in place, but he said they are “preparing to fight back” against any perceived state actions.
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