California wolf update!
NEW wolves in California
Grizzly Pack: The Grizzly Pack comprises of a breeding pair and their offspring. The breeding female is LAS37F (LAS16M X LAS09F), born in Northern California to the Lassen Pack in 2023. The breeding male is DIS05M (unknown X unknown), a new black male wolf from Oregon.
Tunnison Pack: Gray male DIS04M, renamed TUN01M, has been confirmed to have dispersed to California from the Desolation Pack in Northeast Oregon. He continues to travel with female LAS32F (LAS16M X LAS09F), a collared black wolf born in Northern California to the Lassen Pack in 2022.
Ice Cave Pack: The Ice Cave Pack had 6 pups this year and the breeding adults genetic origins have been confirmed. The breeding female is WHA09F (OR-85 X WHA01F), a gray wolf born in 2022 to the Whaleback Pack in Northern California. The breeding male is ICE03M, (unknown X unknown), a new black male wolf from Oregon. There is also a former member of the Whaleback Pack that has also joined the Ice Cave Pack, male WHA43M (OR-85 X WHA01F), who was never generically profiled as a pup so his exact birth year isn’t known other than he’s no older than 4 years old. Female pup ICE04F, (ICE03M X WHA09F), has also been captured and collared.
Ashpan Pack: A new black wolf joined the Ashpan Pack over the summer and the wolf was confirmed to be WHA04F, (OR-85 X WHA01F), born in Northern California to the Whaleback Pack in 2021. The other wolf traveling with her is black wolf WHA07M (OR-85 X WHA01F), who is her littermate.
Eastern Sierra Valley Group: A group of 3 wolves has been found traveling together East of Sierra Valley in Northern California. One wolf is gray female BEY08F, (LAS19M X LAS23F), born in 2024 to the former Beyem Seyo Pack in Northern California. Another wolf was born in the Whaleback Pack in Northern California to OR-85 and WHA01F. The third wolf’s genetic origin hasn’t been verified.
Southwest Modoc County Group: Male wolf DIS07M, (unknown X unknown), a new wolf that has dispersed to California from outside the state, is traveling with another wolf in Southwest Modoc County in Northern California. His brother DIS06M (unknown X unknown), dispersed to California earlier this year.
Packs/groups that have no longer exist
Ishi Pack: Newly discovered evidence is suggesting the Ishi Pack was really members of the Ice Cave Pack in Northern California. Their current pack status isn’t known.
Modoc Group: The Modoc Group comprising of 5 Whaleback Pack siblings has dissolved and appears to no longer exist. It is very likely due to the wolves being all related who established this group, dispersed to go find mates and territory of their own.
Updates on Known Packs.
Lassen Pack: The Lassen Pack had two pups this year born to female LAS09F, (LAS01F X LAS02M), a gray wolf to the Lassen Pack herself in 2018, and male LAS16M, (unknown X unknown), a black wolf who dispersed to California most likely from the Northern Rockies.
Whaleback Pack: The Whaleback Pack had 10 pups this year producing the largest known litter in over a century born in California. The breeding female continues to be WHA01F, (OR-7 X OR-94), a collared gray wolf born no later than 2018 to Southwest Oregons Rogue Pack. The breeding male continues to be OR-85 (OR-11 X unknown), a black collared wolf born in 2019 to the former Mt Emily Pack in Northeast Oregon.
Yowlumni Pack: The original breeding female of the Yowlumni Pack YOW01F, (OR-7 X OR-94), born in either 2015 or 2016 to the Rogue Pack in Southwest Oregon, was found dead of natural causes. She was a collared gray wolf who was Californias oldest known wolf, and had 2 litters in the Yowlumni Pack.
BEY03F, (LAS19M X LAS23F), a black collared wolf born in 2023 to the former Beyem Seyo Pack in Northern California, appears to continue to be the packs new breeding female as of now.
Dispersing wolves.
BEY10M: BEY10M, (LAS19M X LAS23F), was found dead in Northern California in August 2025, and his mortality is under investigation. He was a black collared wolf born in 2024 to the former Beyem Seyo Pack in Northern California.
DIS06M: DIS06M, (unknown X unknown), a male wolf that dispersed to California from outside the state, continues to remain in the state.
Sources
https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=238456&inline
https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=238455&inline