Native gray wolves, once nearly driven to extinction in California by game hunters in the 19th and 20th centuries, are making an extraordinary comeback. Recently, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) discovered a rare pack in Sierra Valley, about 50 miles north of Lake Tahoe. This exciting discovery marks a significant milestone in the species’ resurgence, as they reclaim their ancestral territory.
The pack, known as the Diamond Pack, is made up of at least one adult male, one adult female, and two pups. The animals are believed to have been traveling together for six months and were spotted on a wildlife camera, marking the first sighting in nearly 100 years. Just one photo has been released so far, and CDFW’s gray wolf activity map for November documents the pack’s activity just south of Lassen Volcanic National Park.
“CDFW has confirmed the presence of a new wolf pack near Lassen Volcanic National Park in recent weeks,” said Axel Hunnicutt, a gray wolf coordinator for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “These detections come from camera trap photos of wolves and their pups on U.S. Forest Service land around the park, and also from CDFW’s wolf biologists tracking and monitoring in the area.”
CDFW are yet to confirm the presence of the pack inside Lassen Volcanic National Park itself, but are continuing to work with the National Park Service to monitor for wolf presence in the area. Hunnicutt explains, “Much of LVNP is remote wilderness that would be ideal habitat for wolves and so it wouldn’t be surprising for this group to be using parts of the park.”
Since the 2010s, sightings of gray wolves have become more frequent, signaling a steady recovery of the species. Over time, wildlife officials have identified and named nine distinct packs, marking a significant milestone in the wolves’ natural return to California. In a video shared by CDFW in January 2024, the Yowlumni Pack found in the Sequoia National Forest is captured howling and exploring the area.
When making a statement on the discovery of the Diamond Pack, Hunnicutt said, “This finding is also significant as it marks the 9th current pack in California, and the 10th in modern times since wolves began recolonizing CA in the 2010s.” He added, “As this group was found to have pups, we will be working to monitor their survival into the new year as this will help quantify the recovery of the state’s wolf population.”
Another piece of good news is that Lassen Volcanic National Park is home to one of the few breeding populations of endangered Sierra Nevada Red Foxes. These foxes have struggled since wolves disappeared from California in 1924, letting coyotes take over. However, now that the wolves are back, they could help control coyote numbers and give the foxes a better chance to thrive. A similar pattern was seen in Yellowstone National Park after wolves were reintroduced in 1995-1996, where red fox sightings increased as coyotes declined.
Check out the video of the Yowlumni Pack below and keep an eye on the CDFW website for more gray wolf updates.
A rare pack of gray wolves was recently detected near Lassen Volcanic National Park, signaling the species’ return to its ancestral land.
The animals were spotted on a wildlife camera, marking the first sighting in nearly 100 years.
In a video shared by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in January 2024, a different pack—called the Yowlumni Pack—is captured howling and exploring the Sequoia National Forest.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Sources: Brand-New ‘Diamond’ Wolf Pack Discovered North of Lake Tahoe; Apex predators recorded near California national park a century after being wiped out; Deadly predator spotted in California national park for first time in century
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