California’s New Wolf Packs Spark Conservation and Conflict

Sacramento, CA – California’s gray wolf population has grown with three new packs—Tunnison, Ash Pan, and Ishi—joining seven existing packs, totaling ten statewide. Announced by Axel Hunnicutt of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), this reflects a revised pack definition: two or more wolves traveling together for four months. The growth, while a conservation success, has heightened tensions in Siskiyou, Modoc, and Lassen counties, where wolf-livestock conflicts are rising.

Tunnison Pack: Female LAS32F (born 2022, Lassen Pack) and male DIS04M (Oregon disperser) formed this pack in October 2024, roaming Northern California.

Ash Pan Pack: Female WHA04F (born 2021, Whaleback Pack) and an unidentified wolf, possibly male, have traveled together since April 2024, primarily in Siskiyou County.

Ishi Pack: Three gray wolves of unknown origin roam Tehama County’s Ishi Wilderness, not Ishi Pishi Falls in Somes Bar, with sightings since March 2023.

In Siskiyou, the Whaleback Pack has been linked to multiple cattle deaths, with four confirmed in November 2024. Modoc County reported six cattle and one sheep lost to wolves since December 2024, prompting Sheriff Tex Dowdy to urge CDFW action. Lassen County, home to the Harvey and Lassen packs, saw 19 cattle deaths statewide from October to December 2024, mostly in these northern counties. Ranchers face financial losses, with Modoc, Lassen, and Sierra counties declaring emergencies, citing safety and economic concerns.

CDFW’s new mapping tool tracks collared wolves to reduce conflicts, but ranchers seek more aggressive measures, restricted by wolves’ endangered status. Conservationists advocate nonlethal deterrents, like range riders, as wolves reclaim their historic range, balancing ecological recovery with rural livelihoods.

NPR INTERVIEW: Two University of California at Davis researchers, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s state gray wolf coordinator Axel Hunnicutt. Learn about the animals biology and behavior including what to do if you encounter wolves out in the wild. After being extirpated from the state in the 1920s, the wolf began a literal come back with the first animal, OR 7 wandering into the northeast corner of the state from Oregon in 2011. There are around 70 individuals in the state and the packs are both growing and expanding in territory. It’s a complex issue that Blue Dot takes an objective dive into.