wild wolf pups in California!

California wolf update!

Lassen Pack: The Lassen Pack consisted of 2 adults, 5 yearlings and 3 pups in October 2023. This is a decrease of 1 pup the Lassens had in July 2023. The breeding female continues to be LAS09F (LAS02M X LAS01F), who was born to the Lassen Packs original breeding herself in Northern California in 2018. She’s been the Lassens breeding female since 2020 and the breeding male continues to remain LAS16M (UNKNOWN X UNKNOWN), who is not related to known California wolves other than the Beyem Seyo and Yowlumni Packs which were established by his offspring and offspring LAS16M sired himself. The collared yearling female California department of fish and wildlife collared in the Lassen Pack in 2023 has been identified as LAS32F (LAS16M X LAS09F), who was born in the Lassen Packs 2022 litter. LAS32Fs collar continues to function but I believe she has since dispersed from the Lassen Pack since October 2023. The Lassens live in Lassen and Plumas Counties.

Whaleback Pack: The Whaleback Pack consisted of 2 adults, 1 adult or yearling, and 8 pups as of October 2023. The breeding female continues to be WHA01F (OR-7 X OR-94), who is from Southwest Oregons Rogue Pack and the breeding male continues to be OR-85 (OR-11 X UNKNOWN) who is from Northeast Oregons former Mt Emily Pack. Collared yearling male WHA12M (OR-85 X WHA01F) is no longer with the Whalebacks and since dispersed. The breeding male OR-85 continues to have a functioning collar and the Whalebacks live in Siskiyou County.

Beckwourth Pack: this was not mentioned in the quarterly but there were wolves documented traveling together in the Beckwourth Packs territory in late 2023. I confirmed this through a credible source but that’s all I can say about this for now.

Yowlumni Pack: There were 2 adults and 6 pups documented in the Yowlumni Pack which live in Tulare County. The breeding female is now known as YOW01F (OR-7 X OR-94) and she is estimated to be 7-8 years old and is from Southwest Oregons Rogue Pack. The breeding male has been identified as LAS24M (LAS16M X UNKNOWN) who was born in Northern California to the Lassen Packs double 2020 litters. All of the wolves in this pack are gray.

Harvey Pack: There were 2 adults and 1 pup documented in the Harvey Pack in October 2023, a decrease of 1 pup from July 2023. These wolves live in Lassen County and the breeding female was captured and collared. She has been genetically identified as WHA05F (OR-85 X WHA01F), who was born in Northern California to the Whaleback Packs 2021 litter. The breeding male is not from known California wolf packs nor is he from Southwest Oregons Rogue Pack. WHA05Fs collar is still functioning.

Beyem Seyo Pack: There were 2 adults and 6 pups that were documented in October 2023 in this pack. The breeding female continues to be LAS23F (LAS16M X UNKNOWN) and the breeding male continues to be LAS19M (LAS16M X UNKNOWN). Both breeding adults are partial siblings that were born in Northern California to the Lassen Packs 2020 double litters. These wolves live in Plumas County and the breeding female LAS23F continues to have a functioning collar.

Unnamed Wolf Pack: A new pack consisting of 2 wolves was found in Sierra and Nevada Counties and they have been detected on and off since March 2023. Sex and genetic origin of these wolves aren’t known, California Department of Fish and Wildlife hopes to eventually collar one of them.

Unnamed Tehama County Group: only 2 wolves were detected and not 3 in this group by late spring 2023, and they were downgraded from a pack to a group. This is because there haven’t been consistent detections for the last 6 months.

Unnamed Modoc County group: A new group of wolves was found at the California border in Modoc County by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Nothing is known about the wolves sex or genetic origin but the goal is to eventually collar one of these wolves also. The area is being monitored by both California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Other

there were 8 confirmed predations on livestock between August - October 2023. 7 of these predations were from the Whaleback Pack, 1 was from the Lassen Pack.

no new dispersing wolves were detected between August - October 2023.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife is currently surveying new areas across 4 different counties for wolf presence. These counties are Lassen, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama Counties.

Sources

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=219799&inline

CDFW News | CDFW and Tule River Tribe of California Name Recently Discovered Wolf Pack


 
This is quite the story if you haven’t read it yet. A record 30 wolf pups across 5 wolf packs were born in California in 2024. There’s also been some new wolves found since I’ve posted on here so with that, here’s the latest on wolves in California.

Lassen Pack: The Lassen Pack now consists of 11 wolves (6 adults/yearlings and 5 pups). A minimum of 5 pups were born to the Lassen Pack in 2024. The breeding female was again LAS09F (LAS02M X LAS01F), while the breeding male was again LAS16M (UNKNOWN X UNKNOWN). There are no collars in this pack.

Whaleback Pack: The Whaleback Pack now consists of 13 wolves (7 adults/yearlings and 6 pups). A minimum of 6 pups were born to the Whaleback Pack in 2024. The breeding female was again WHA01F (OR-7 X OR-94), while the breeding male was again OR-85 (OR-11 X UNKNOWN). The GPS collar on the breeding male OR-85 continues to function.

Harvey Pack: The Harvey Pack now consists of 10 wolves (2 adults, 1 yearling and 7 pups). A minimum of 7 pups were born to the Harvey Pack in 2024. The breeding female was again WHA05F (OR-85 X WHA01F). The breeding male was again HAR01M (UNKNOWN X UNKNOWN). The GPS collar on the breeding female WHA05F continues to function.

Beyem Seyo Pack: The Beyem Seyo Pack now consists of 10 wolves (2 adults, 3 yearlings and 5 pups). A minimum of 5 pups were born to the Beyem Seyo Pack in 2024. The breeding female was again LAS23F (LAS16M X UNKNOWN), and the breeding male was again LAS19M (LAS16M X UNKNOWN). In early 2024, one of their pups from the 2023 litter was killed in a vehicle collision. The GPS collar on the breeding female LAS23F continues to function.

Yowlumni Pack: The Yowlumni Pack now consists of 15 wolves (2 adults, 6 yearlings and 7 pups). A minimum of 7 pups were born to the Yowlumni Pack in 2024. The breeding female was again YOW01F (OR-7 X OR-94), the breeding male was again LAS24M (LAS16M X LAS01F). A yearling female in this pack YOW03F (LAS24M X YOW01F), was captured and collared for research purposes. The GPS collars both on the breeding female YOW01F and yearling female YOW03F continue to function.

Antelope Pack: 2 adult wolves continue to be regularly detected traveling together in this pack. They were previously the unnamed pack but have since been named the Antelope Pack.

Beckwourth Pack: There have been no new detections since the end of 2023.

There have been 2 new groups of wolves found in California in 2024. They’re not officially named this but for now this is what I’m calling them.

LAS28F Group: LAS28F (LAS16M X LAS09F) is a 3 year old female wolf from the Lassen Packs 2021 litter and she is currently traveling with another wolf of unknown sex and genetic origin in Northern California.

WHA09F Group: WHA09F (OR-85 X WHA01F) is a 2 year old female wolf from the Whaleback Packs 2022 litter. She was previously traveling with 3 year old male wolf WHA07M (OR-85 X WHA01F) from the Whalebacks 2021 litter. The presence of WHA07M has not been detected recently but there have been credible reports recently WHA09F is now traveling with an uncollared dark gray wolf but this has not been confirmed. The presence of WHA09F continues to be regularly detected.

As for the other 2 groups

Tehama Group: 2 wolves (1 black and 1 gray) of unknown sex and genetic origin continue to be detected in this area.

Group at California Border: 2 wolves of unknown sex and genetic origin have been detected at the California border in Southern Oregon in the past, but there have been no recent detections lately. Area continues to be surveyed.

There have been no new collared dispersals in California detected, but a male wolf WHA08M (OR-85 X WHA01F) from the Whaleback Packs 2021 litter was recently detected outside of a known pack area in Northern California. There are now around 70 wolves who live in California.

sources

'Amazing': New data shows endangered Calif. animal’s record-breaking comeback

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=225536&inline

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=222380&inline

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=225497&inline

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=202877&inline
 
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California wolf update. This one is a bit minor in terms of changes but there were some.

New Wolves
1.) a new group in Shasta County was found consisting of 2 uncollared wolves whose sex and genetic origin isn’t known.

2.) a new group of wolves was found in Lassen County.

3.) Diamond Pack: the Diamond pack is a newly named pack consisting of a female wolf born in 2021 to the Lassen Pack in Northern California identified as LAS28F and an unknown individual

4.) this was not mentioned in the quarterly but I was made aware that WHA09F, a female wolf who establishes a group in southern Modoc county, is now traveling with a dark gray and a different wolf she had previously been traveling with. WHA09F was born in 2022 to the Whaleback Pack in Northern California.

Current Pack/Group updates

1.) Antelope Pack: WHA08M, a 3 year old male wolf born in Northern California to the Whaleback Packs 2021 litter, has been genetically identified as one of the wolves in this pack.

2.) Yowlumni Pack: a yearling male wolf born in the Yowlumni Packs 2023 litter was captured and collared and has been identified as YOW06M. There are currently 3 collared wolves in this pack (the breeding female YOW01F, yearling female YOW03F also born in the Yowlumni Packs 2033 litter, and YOW06M).

3.) Beckwourth Pack: the presence beckwourth pack has not been confirmed since fall 2023. If the pack is not detected by December 2023, the area of wolf activity will be discontinued.

4.) Northern Modoc Group: this area of wolf activity has been discontinued as these wolves are no longer using California and are now only living in southern Oregon. They consist of 2 uncollared wolves with unknown sex and genetic origin and will now be counted as part of Oregons population.

sources

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=227266&inline

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=227273&inline
 
The new group of wolves found in Lassen County in Northern California has been confirmed to consist of female LAS32F (LAS16M X LAS09F), a black collared wolf born in 2022 to the Lassen Pack in Northern California and an uncollared gray male wolf (UNKNOWN X UNKNOWN) not from California. The two wolves have regularly been traveling together since October 2024.

source

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=227866
 
John Marchwick said:
The new group of wolves found in Lassen County in Northern California has been confirmed to consist of female LAS32F (LAS16M X LAS09F), a black collared wolf born in 2022 to the Lassen Pack in Northern California and an uncollared gray male wolf (UNKNOWN X UNKNOWN) not from California. The two wolves have regularly been traveling together since October 2024.

source

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=227866
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John, I read these updates with some exciteren and glee! I am right to conclude the wolf présence and pack numbers have gone up from 8 to 12 in 2024?

Out of interest: How long has it been since California saw its first wolf or wolf pack now?
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Out of interest: How long has it been since California saw its first wolf or wolf pack now?
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The first wolf to set foot in California after the species was exterminated from the state in 1924 was OR-7, AKA: Journey. He arrived in California in late December of 2011.

The first resident pack in California was the Shasta Pack, which first produced pups in 2015. The breeding female of the Shasta Pack was OR-7/Journey's sister.

The second resident pack in California was the Lassen Pack, which was first detected in the state in the fall of 2016. Four pups were born to the Lassen Pack in 2017, the breeding male was a son of OR-7/Journey - CA-08M.
 
Wisp O' Mist said:
The first wolf to set foot in California after the species was exterminated from the state in 1924 was OR-7, AKA: Journey. He arrived in California in late December of 2011.

The first resident pack in California was the Shasta Pack, which first produced pups in 2015. The breeding female of the Shasta Pack was OR-7/Journey's sister.

The second resident pack in California was the Lassen Pack, which was first detected in the state in the fall of 2016. Four pups were born to the Lassen Pack in 2017, the breeding male was a son of OR-7/Journey - CA-08M.
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Additional information. The day OR-7 entered California was December 28th, 2011 and the breeding male of the Shasta Pack was also from the Imnaha Pack and a brother of OR-7. And the Lassen Packs original breeding male was renamed to LAS02M.

And as of now California now has 9 packs and 4 groups living in the state. Though that number is bound to change by the end of the year.
 
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Kifaru Bwana said:
I am right to conclude the wolf présence and pack numbers have gone up from 8 to 12 in 2024?
Click to expand...

The wolf numbers are growing quickly and packs and groups are being reported increasingly widely across the northern part of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. However, the Fish and Wildlife Service continues to be vague to a large degree as the wolves are not exactly meeting a warm welcome from much of the human population they're now sharing space with.
 
Great Argus said:
The wolf numbers are growing quickly and packs and groups are being reported increasingly widely across the northern part of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. However, the Fish and Wildlife Service continues to be vague to a large degree as the wolves are not exactly meeting a warm welcome from much of the human population they're now sharing space with.
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It seems when it comes to wildlife populations rebuilding naturally the more liberal segments of US society are not exactly that ... accomodating lest we must and should live with nature and wildlife (as we invaded their range and territory and not the other way round!

I am afraid we suffer the same hogwash mumbo-jumbo over here in Western Europe - Little Red Riding Hood pretty much killed all wolves in Western and Central Europe for a good century. Personally, thank goodness they are making a resurgence ... here.

My Pledge: I for one will continue to fight the good fight and get wolves back on the map in Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, France and Spain/Italy!!!!
 
New update regarding wolves in California.

Eastern Shasta County Group: One of the wolves genetically identified in this group is female WHA04F (OR-85 X WHA01F), who was born in 2021 to the Whaleback Pack in Northern California.

Central Lassen County Group: The male wolf in this group has been genetically identified as DIS04M, and is he is shown to be related to wolves in Oregon though exact pack origin still isn’t known. He is a younger brother of collared male wolf OR-103, a wolf from that dispersed to California in May 2021 and remained in the state till July 2022.

DIS04M is a uncollared male gray wolf traveling with collared black female LAS32F (LAS16M X LAS09F), who was born in 2022 to the Lassen Pack in Northern California.

Southern Modoc County Group: A new group of wolves have been identified in Modoc County have been genetically identified so far to be wolves from the Whaleback Pack in Northern California.

From the 2023 litter
1.) Male WHA20M (OR-85 X WHA01F)
2.) Male WHA22M (OR-85 X WHA01F).

from the 2024 litter
1.) Female WHA28F (OR-85 X WHA01F)
2.) Male WHA31M (OR-85 X WHA01F)
3.) Male WHA32M (OR-85 X WHA01F)

Two additional wolves from the Whaleback Pack that were formally living this area have also now left. Black male WHA07M (OR-85 X WHA01F), who was born in 2021 dispersed further south of Modoc and the Whaleback Pack both. Gray female WHA09F (OR-85 X WHA01F), also left the area. I’ve actually been hearing WHA07M may also now be traveling with another wolf but right now that remains to be seen.

Tehama County Group: There are now 3 gray wolves in this group of unknown sex and genetic origin. It’s unknown if this a new group or the same group as the one living there before.

Plumas County Group: A new group consisting of two wolves of unknown sex and genetic origin are now traveling in the historic Beyem Seyo Pack territory in Northern California. Beyem Seyo is still around and more on them below.

Beyem Seyo Pack/Antelope Pack: The Antelope Pack combined with the Beyem Seyo Pack and the Beyem Seyo Pack shifted their territory further south. They no longer live in Plumas County and now live in Sierra and Nevada Counties in California. They are keeping Beyem Seyo as their name. It was also confirmed the gray wolf in the Beyem Seyo Pack killed in a vehicle collision in January 2024 has been identified as BEY04F (LAS19M X LAS23F). She was born in the packs 2023 litter.

The Beyem Seyo Pack also has a new breeding male after their previous one LAS19M (LAS16M X LAS09F), disappeared. Their new breeding male is WHA08M (OR-85 X WHA01F), a gray wolf who was born in 2021 to the Whaleback Pack in Northern California. The Beyem Seyo Packs breeding female continues to be LAS23F (LAS16M X LAS01F), a black wolf born in 2020 to the Lassen Pack in Northern California.

In January 2025, 5 gray wolves were captured and collared in this pack by California Department of Fish and Wildlife. This includes both breeding adults, a female yearling from the packs 2023 litter BEY01F (LAS19M X LAS23F), and two male pups from the packs 2024 litter BEY09M (LAS19M X LAS23F), and BEY10M (LAS19M X LAS23F).

Ice Cave Pack: The new pack found in late 2024 consisting of two breeding adults and two pups have been named the Ice Cave Pack. The genetic origins of the breeding adults aren’t known.

Harvey Pack: 5 gray wolves were captured and collared in this pack in January 2025 by California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Among them was the packs breeding female WHA05F (OR-85 X WHA01F), a black wolf born in 2021 to the Whaleback Pack in Northern California. The breeding male continues to be HAR01M, who’s an uncollared black wolf and he is not from known California packs or Southwest Oregons Rogue Pack. The 4 other wolves collared in this pack are pups from the packs 2024 litter and they are

1.) female HAR04F (HAR01M X WHA05F)
2.) female HAR05F (HAR01M X WHA05F)
3.) male HAR07M (HAR01M X WHA05F)
4.) male HAR11M (HAR01M X WHA05F).

Whaleback Pack: Two gray wolves were captured and collared in this pack in January 2025 by California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The breeding female WHA01F (OR-7 X OR-94), born no later than 2018 to Southwest Oregons Rogue Pack. The other wolf that was captured and collared is female WHA29F (OR-85 X WHA01F), and she is from the packs 2024 litter. OR-85, (OR-11 X unknown), the breeding male of the Whaleback Pack also still has a functioning collar. OR-85 is a black wolf born in 2019 to the former Mt Emily Pack in Northeast Oregon.

Beckwourth Pack: The Beckwourth Pack is thought to no longer exist and their area of known wolf activity has been discontinued.

source: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=229425
 
How many years will it take for the Wolves to disperse to the Southern California Counties and where?
 
John Marchwick said:
Who knows. Though wolves have already made it somewhat into Southern California.
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I am encouraged to learn that wolves are firmly re-establishing themselves, even in southern Cal! I suspect that must be getting closer to say LA, San Francisco, Fresno, Santa Barbara and San Diego ....! Cheers and thanks as always for writing up annual reviews on the wolves in the SW USA.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
I am encouraged to learn that wolves are firmly re-establishing themselves, even in southern Cal! I suspect that must be getting closer to say LA, San Francisco, Fresno, Santa Barbara and San Diego ....! Cheers and thanks as always for writing up annual reviews on the wolves in the SW USA.
Click to expand...

there is a confirmed wolf pack living south of Fresno and San Francisco already. They’re called the Yowlumni pack and they number 15 gray wolves as of last count (2 adults, 6 yearlings, 7 pups).
 
During a confirmed wolf predation investigation in California, it was confirmed the 2nd wolf genetically identified in the Diamond Pack is male LAS30M (LAS16M X LAS09F), a 4 year old gray wolf born in 2021 to the Lassen Pack in Northern California. The Diamond Pack also lives in Northern California.

The other wolf genetically identified in the Diamond Pack was LAS28F, a littermate of LAS30M. That news however I’ve already shared.

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=231063&inline
 
New wolf update for California.

Yowlumni Pack: Two gray wolves in the Yowlumni Pack were found dead and the causes of deaths are under investigation. A young female was recently captured and collared in this pack and the pack now only has 2 collared wolves (the breeding female YOW01F and this yet to be genetically ID female). Collared wolves YOW03F and YOW06M aren't present anymore in the pack.

Beyem Seyo Pack: Collared gray male wolves BEY09M and BEY10M from the packs 2024 litter dispersed.

Tunnison Pack: This new pack consists of two wolves, one is female LAS32F who was born in Northern California to the Lassen Pack in 2022, the other is a male from Oregon known as DIS04M, born around 2022 and is the younger brother of OR-103, a collared wolf from Oregon that dispersed to California.

Ashpan Pack: This new pack consists of two wolves, one is female WHA04F who was born in Northern California to the Whaleback Pack in 2021, and a second unknown individual.

Ishi Pack: This new pack consists of 3 gray wolves of unknown sex and genetic origin.

Additionally, a uncollared gray wolf was confirmed in Central Kern County on a camera trap last winter.

sources.
Quarterly Wolf News: January- March 2025(PDF)(opens in new tab)

CDFW Wolf Tracker
 
How many years will take for Wolves to get to Counties like Los Angeles and how would they adapt?
 
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