The gray wolf (Canis lupus) is present in the Sierra Nevada mountains, marking a significant and recent ecological turning point for the region. After nearly a century of absence, their presence in California is a result of natural dispersal from populations in states to the north. Their return to California’s high mountains and conifer forests, though still rare, signifies the species’ resilience. This presence introduces new complexities for wildlife management and coexistence with human activities.
Documented Presence and Current Range
Gray wolf packs in California are primarily concentrated in the northeastern corner of the state, near the southern Cascades and Modoc Plateau, which abut the northern Sierra Nevada. The Lassen Pack, confirmed in 2017, utilizes a broad area of western Lassen and northern Plumas counties, considered the upper reach of the mountain range. Other packs, such as the Diamond, Grizzly, and Harvey Packs, also occupy territories in Plumas and Lassen counties, confirming a stable, though small, population base in the north.
A surprising development occurred in 2023 with the confirmation of the Yowlumni Pack, which established a territory in the southern Sierra Nevada in Tulare County. This new pack is located at least 200 straight-line miles south of any other known wolf group in the state, demonstrating the species’ capacity for long-distance dispersal into new, suitable habitat. The presence of this pack confirms the Sierra Nevada, from its northern to its southern reaches, is once again home to the gray wolf. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) uses DNA evidence from scat and confirmed sightings to verify the identity and movements of these animals, distinguishing them from coyotes or domestic dogs.
Historical Extirpation and Natural Reestablishment
The historical presence of the gray wolf across California, including the Sierra Nevada foothills and mountains, was largely erased by the 1920s. Organized extermination campaigns, driven by bounties and a desire to protect livestock, successfully extirpated the species from the state. The last known wild wolf in California was killed in Lassen County in 1924, beginning a nearly 90-year absence.
The current natural reestablishment began in December 2011 when a male wolf, collared as OR-7 and nicknamed “Journey,” crossed the border from Oregon into Siskiyou County. OR-7 was the first documented wild wolf in California since the extirpation, marking the start of the species’ return. He dispersed from Oregon’s Imnaha Pack, which had naturally recolonized from source populations in the Rocky Mountains.
Though OR-7 eventually returned to Oregon to establish his own pack, other dispersing wolves followed his path into California. The first contemporary breeding pack, the Shasta Pack, was confirmed in 2015 but was short-lived. The Lassen Pack, confirmed in 2017 with a breeding male descended from OR-7’s Rogue Pack, became the first stable, long-term breeding group in the state.
Legal Status, Management, and Coexistence
The gray wolf in California enjoys strong legal protections under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA), having been listed as endangered in 2014. This designation strictly prohibits the “take,” or killing, of a wolf, and affords the species protection regardless of the fluctuating federal endangered status. The state’s conservation efforts are detailed in the Conservation Plan for Gray Wolves in California, which guides management and conflict mitigation.
A primary focus of management is minimizing conflict with livestock producers, particularly in the northern Sierra Nevada where most packs reside. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) supports non-lethal methods for coexistence, which include the use of range riders, electrified fencing, fladry (strips of flags on a line), and motion-activated lights. These deterrents are aimed at preventing depredation without harming the protected wolves.
To address the economic impact on livestock owners, the state implemented the Wolf-Livestock Compensation Program, which has three main components. This program compensates ranchers for confirmed direct livestock losses due to wolves and reimburses them for the cost of non-lethal deterrent tools. The program also provides “pay for presence,” offering compensation for indirect losses, such as weight loss or reproductive issues in livestock, associated with grazing in known wolf territory.
For hikers and residents in the Sierra Nevada, safe coexistence involves minimizing attractants and reporting all confirmed sightings to the CDFW. In the rare event of a close encounter, the guidance is to never run, but to maintain eye contact, act aggressively by yelling, and slowly retreat while throwing objects if necessary. The presence of wolves means residents and visitors must remain aware of their expanding range.