The gray wolves have an interesting history in North America, and while they previously roamed the lands freely, they were driven out of the continent at one point in history. As such, the gray wolf pack was recently spotted around California.
Gray Wolf Pack
A gray wolf pack was spotted around the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains. The pack was discovered around Tulare County, as confirmed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).
The newly discovered pack was considered the first located furthest south in the state for over a century. The Sequoia National Forest, located around 200 miles from northeastern California, was the location of these wolf citings, according to the department.
The CDFW went around the area and found their DNA from tracks, scat, and hair. They retrieved 12 samples confirmed to come from the gray wolves, leading to them believing that at least five female wolves were in the pack, which had not yet been detected in California.
These gray wolves, known as timber wolves, go by the scientific name Canis lupus and are canines with black-tipped bushy tails. They're known for varying colors from solid white to black or brown, with most wolves being gray.
Female gray wolves range from 60 to 100 lbs, while males are around 70 to 145 lbs. These animals are carnivores and often hunt deer, bison, and other large hoofed animals but can also go for beavers, hares, or other rodents.
Adult gray wolves can eat 20 pounds of meat in just one sitting.
History of Gray Wolves
According to the analysis of the DNA, it was concluded that one wolf in the pack could be a direct descendant of a wolf that previously crossed into California in 2011, OR7. OR7 was the first gray wolf found in about a century after their kind left the area.
Before the early 1900s, gray wolves used to roam freely through North America. However, they were hunted, trapped, and pushed out of the continental US during the early century.
During that time, these gray wolves were extinct throughout their former range, with the last around 300 wolves going deep into Michigan and Minnesota woods, where they learned to survive by running and hiding from humans.
These wolves were still hunted shortly after the 1960s by hunters looking for the remaining survivors. However, despite hunter efforts, the timber wolves were able to survive and
With the recent citings, the wolves are slowly returning to western states. So far, at least three packs are found around the state's far north. As such, these wolves are still protected by the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).
In 2022, under the ESA, a court order was given to protect the gray wolves in around 48 states and Mexico, except the Northern Rocky Mountain population.
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