California Wolf Activity Update

From the recent CA Department of Fish and Wildlife capture operation

Wolves are drawing heightened attention as the state recently expanded efforts to monitor wildlife in Northern California by conducting helicopter operations to collar wolves, elk, and deer.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) documented wolf activity through aerial imagery across several northern counties. In mid-January, multiple wolves were fitted with tracking collars. The animals handled during the operation were members of the Whaleback and Harvey packs, two groups that have been monitored in the region for the past decade.

Six wolves were collared during the effort; however, the breeding female of the Harvey pack did not survive the stress of the capture. An investigation into the exact cause of her death is underway. The five remaining wolves brought the total number of active collars monitored to eighteen, with a total of ten packs statewide.

From the recent CA Department of Fish and Wildlife capture operation

In early February 2026, CDFW detected a collar transmitting from Nevada. The dispersing wolf has since returned to California, reflecting the long-distance movements that occasionally bring wolves into remote areas of neighboring states. Around the same time, a three-year-old female originally from Plumas County was confirmed over 500 miles away in Los Angeles County—an area where wolves have not been documented in more than a century.

Wolves are a natural part of California landscapes, helping to maintain ecological balance and function. Still listed as endangered at both the state and federal levels, their continued presence is supported by ongoing science-based monitoring and the expansion of effective non-lethal management strategies. Their complex social structures and strong family bonds offer insights that, when understood, can reduce fear and misconceptions and promote informed coexistence.