Wolves in Sequoia National Forest

While wolves are not often correlated with California, gray wolves are native to the state but were extirpated by the 1920s. According to the California Wolf Center, there are clear historical records from 1750 to 1850 that wolves were once present in the Coastal Range from San Diego to Sacramento when Europeans first began exploring and settling these areas. From 1850-1900, wolves were seen in Shasta County and the Central Sierra Nevadas.

Wolves were known among many Indigenous tribes in California and some revered the wolf as sacred. This was demonstrated through artwork, legends, ceremonial garb, and creation stories. The inflow of California settlers greatly changed the landscape from wilderness to lands full of towns and roads, negatively impacting the local wolf populations. Then, in the early 20th century, state legislatures enacted bounty laws to eradicate wolves and coyotes to protect livestock. The last reported wolf to be captured was in Lassen County in 1924. The California Wolf Center states, “although the U.S. Forest Service estimated that approximately 50 wolves existed in Lassen, Tahoe, El Dorado, Stanislaus, and Rouge River National Forests as recently as 1937, there was little evidence to suggest that any wolves were actually present. The occasional trapping of wolves still occurred in California, but it was concluded that these individuals had been released from captivity and were not from a thriving local population”.

In the 1960s, the environmental movement helped call attention to the need for wolf conservation, and in 1973, they received protections under the federal Endangered Species Act. In the mid-1990s, wolves were reintroduced into the northern Rockies and Yellowstone, aiding in the slow recovery of wolf populations across the US. The natural increase in wolf populations out of established and thriving packs has led them to increase their range and return to California on their own.

Earlier this month, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced that Tulare County has a new gray wolf pack! This is now the southernmost California pack by 200 air miles. This new pack consists of one adult female and four offspring (two male, two female). This exciting news sparks hope for once-decimated wolf populations. We urge everyone to help California gray wolf populations in any way they can. Follow this link to learn more about how you can help today.