Introduction
A remarkable event has taken place in Los Angeles County, where a gray wolf has been sighted for the first time in over a hundred years. This significant occurrence highlights the ongoing recovery of wolf populations in California.
Details of the Sighting
A three-year-old female gray wolf was located in the northwestern region of Los Angeles County, near Pyramid Lake. The discovery, tracked by her GPS collar, marks a historic moment for wildlife in the area.
Experts indicate that this female wolf, known as BEY03F, is in search of a mate, as evidenced by her continued movements. She originally hails from a pack in Plumas County and was fitted with her GPS collar while residing with the Yowlumni Pack in Tulare County last May.
This sighting represents the furthest southern extension of wolves in California since their reintroduction from Yellowstone National Park three decades ago. According to Axel Hunnicutt, who serves as the gray wolf coordinator for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, this is the first verified wolf in Los Angeles County in modern history.
The journey of this wolf is impressive; she has covered over 370 miles and traversed the Sierra Nevada mountains to reach her current location. The last known wild wolf in California before this was shot in 1924, with current estimates suggesting that approximately 60 wolves remain in the state.
As wildlife officials continue to monitor her movements, they reference the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s tracking data to prevent potential conflicts between wolves and livestock in the region.
