Wolf sighted in Los Angeles after 100 years marks recovery of gray wolf in California, says Department of Fish and Wildlife

A historical event has marked Californian biodiversity: a she-wolf has been detected in Los Angeles after a hundred years of absence, indicating progress in the recovery of the gray wolf after its near extinction. This specimen, a young female with a GPS collar, appeared in a remote area of the northern county over the weekend.

She-wolf in Los Angeles: a return after a hundred years

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed that this is the southernmost record of a wolf in the state, being the first since the early 20th century in this region. This sighting redefines the map of local wildlife.

The arrival of the gray wolf in Los Angeles, documented by tracking devices installed in May, confirms its southern presence in California. This she-wolf is in a dispersal phase, searching for a mate, symbolizing the return of a crucial predator, whose population was drastically reduced due to federal policies related to livestock.

This event inaugurates a new chapter in the coexistence between large carnivores and human-inhabited areas. Historically, the wolf was eliminated in favor of livestock interests, but today a renewed dialogue on the conservation of these species is opening.

Over the weekend, the she-wolf was seen in the Santa Clarita mountains, marking the first time in a century that a wolf has been documented in this area, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). This sighting marks a milestone in the recovery of the species.

According to Axel Hunnicutt, state coordinator for gray wolves at the CDFW, the she-wolf, known as BEY03F, was tracked from a pack in Tulare County. It is presumed she left that area about a week ago.

In her search for a mate, the she-wolf remains on the move, indicating she has not yet found a partner or suitable environment. This species, Canis lupus, was practically eliminated in California during a federal eradication program in the early 20th century.

By 2020, there were only eight wolves documented in the state, and in 2023, a new pack was confirmed in the Sequoia National Forest, consisting of an adult female and four pups, two females and two males. It is unclear if BEY03F belongs to this new pack.

The adult she-wolf is a direct descendant of the famous wolf OR-7, who arrived from Oregon in 2011, being the first wild wolf in California in almost 90 years. Although her connection to the Sequoia National Forest pack remains uncertain, her lineage traces back to migrants from Oregon.