Wildlife Officials Discover Two New Wolf Packs in Northern California

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has recently unveiled the existence of two new wolf packs in Northern California, marking a significant milestone in the resurgence of wolves in the state.

Named the Beyem Seyo Pack in Plumas County and the Harvey Pack in Lassen County, these additions show the significant growth of the gray wolf in California. The Yowlumni Pack, identified in Tulare County, had its name announced previously in December 2023.

“These awe-inspiring animals continue to show us that California’s wild landscapes are great habitat for wolves and that they’ll find their way here,” said Amaroq Weiss, a senior wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Wolves belong in our state, and we should do everything we can to ensure they thrive.”

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Wildlife officials in California were shocked when they discovered a brand-new wolf pack living in Tulare County in 2023. Just a month after they received a name with native roots—the Yowlumni Pack—the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has released video of the wolves howling in the wilderness. Wildlife officials confirmed reports of wolves in the southern Sierra in August 2023, more than 200 miles away from the closest known pack in the northern part of the state. The discovery signified a significant development in the state’s wildlife landscape. This video recently released by the CDFW shows the wolves in the wild.

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This announcement comes as part of the department’s latest quarterly report, which highlights the presence of five wolf packs and several groups of wolves across northeastern California. The report details the ongoing activities and compositions of these packs, including the established Lassen and Whaleback packs, and notes the presence of wolves in Tehama, Sierra, Nevada, and Modoc counties. The Beckwourth Pack in Plumas County is believed to no longer exist.

California’s wolf population is now estimated to be around 45, encompassing adults, yearlings, and pups. The Beyem Seyo and Harvey packs have been observed with healthy numbers of pups, indicating successful reproduction and growth within the state’s wolf communities.

“I feel so fortunate to bear witness to the return of these top-level carnivores to California,” said Weiss. “Not only are wolves essential to healthy, wild nature, they also have for thousands of years been integral to the human spirit and imagination and a symbol of our connection to the wild.”

The reintroduction and natural migration of wolves into California have been facilitated by individuals like OR-7, an Oregon wolf that ventured into California in 2011, paving the way for subsequent packs to establish themselves in the state. The gray wolf, native to California but extinct by the 1920s due to hunting and habitat loss, is now protected under both state and federal endangered species acts, reflecting concerted efforts to ensure their survival and prosperity in California’s diverse landscapes.