A Gray Wolf Makes ‘Historic’ Appearance in Los Angeles for the First Time in 100 Years
An amazing event occurred in Los Angeles last week, as a gray wolf was spotted after over 100 years. A 3-year-old female gray wolf tagged “BEY03F” was tracked through her GPS collar on Saturday, February 7, per PEOPLE. The wolf was found north of Santa Clarita at around 6 am. The sighting was confirmed by Axel Hunnicutt, gray wolf coordinator for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The GPS collar was fitted on the wolf in May of last year while she was spending time with the Yowlumni Pack in Tulare County. However, she started traveling on her own about a week ago and covered 375 miles.
The gray wolf continued her journey across desert terrain in Kern County before eventually crossing into Los Angeles County. Hunnicutt explained that the wolf’s journey is still ongoing and that BEY03F is likely searching for a mate. As she continues to travel, it suggests that she has not found an appropriate partner or a permanent habitat. “Her journey isn’t over. The fact that she is still on the move is an indication that she has not found a mate and a suitable habitat,” Hunnicutt said, per the Los Angeles Times.
Moreover, Hunnicutt also noted that the farther the wolf travels, the more likely she is to encounter human development, especially major roadways. He warns that vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for gray wolves in California. “The one thing that we do know is the more that she moves, the more that she has to encounter human infrastructure, and particularly highways. And we know that in California, the highest known cause of mortality for wolves is vehicle strikes,” he explained.
Gray wolves were completely wiped out a century ago from Southern California after years of intense hunting and trapping. It had vanished from the region in the early 1920s, and its long presence, once stretched across the state, disappeared. Before BEY03F was sighted in Los Angeles County, the last time a wild wolf was seen in the area was in 1924. Wolves were absent from Southern California altogether for decades after that.
However, some signs of recovery have been seen in the area in recent years. The last time a gray wolf appeared in all of Southern California was in 2021 near Ventura County. According to recent data, at least 60 gray wolves are living in California. The number may be small, but it is a meaningful rebound for a species once pushed out entirely.
“This signifies a historic moment in the return of wolves for California,” John Marchwick, a writer for the nonprofit California Wolf Watch, said. He added that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has been conducting monitoring programs, supported by protections and conservation under the state’s Endangered Species Act. These efforts have been critical not only in tracking this wolf’s movements but also in making such a long-distance dispersal realistically possible.
The California Wolf Center emphasizes that wolves play a critical role as a keystone species. Their presence as top predators helps the ecosystem balance and supports a wide range of plant and animal life. Douglas Smith, a Yellowstone biologist, warns about how far-reaching that impact can be. “The wolf is a keystone species. You remove it, and the effects cascade down to the grasses,” he said.
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