California’s Last Gray Wolf Pack Welcomes Three Adorable New Members

According to officials from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, this April, the Lassen Pack welcomed at least three new pups. The Lassen Pack is a group of gray wolves that have roamed Lassen and Plumas counties in the northeast corner of the Golden State. Eight years ago, a gray wolf wandered into California, which than re-introduced the species to the state for the first time since the 1920s after ranchers and farmers wholly wiped out their population.

In April, California’s last gray wolf pack welcomed three adorable new members

The wolf pups and two adult wolves were captured on video via a trail camera on June 18, in a remote area, roughly 100 miles from the border of Oregon. With the birth of the pups, the total number of gray wolves in the state grew to somewhere between seven to ten wolves. It’s hard to predict the exact amount of wolves as they can roam hundreds of miles into other states, while only two of the wolves in California are wearing radio collars.

This wolf species was nearly wiped out in the Golden State in the 1920s

Since the reintroduction of the wolf population began in 1995 and 1996, the number of wolves has gradually started growing again throughout the U.S. Several dozen of them were transported from Canada and released into Yellowstone National Park, as well as the Frank Church Wilderness in Idaho. As a result, back in 2011, a wolf (which biologists later named OR-7) was spotted and believed to have wandered from Oregon to California, thus beginning the slow recovery of the wolf population in the state.

Since 1995, conservationists have been hard at work trying to bring the wolves back to California

Wolves that once roamed freely across the West coast, nearly went extinct in the area as they were ruthlessly hunted and poisoned by trappers, hunters, farmers, and ranchers who feared the wolves would kill their sheep or calves, as well as deer and elk. Amarow Weiss, a biologist and senior advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity in Petaluma commented:

“Wolves are important for ecosystems. They are an important thread in the tapestry of nature. Elk and deer evolved with them. Wolves keep them in check, which helps vegetation not get over-eaten. That vegetation provides nesting habitat for migrating birds and building material for beavers, which create ponds for frogs and fish. Wolves are part of what keeps nature healthy and what keeps nature wild.”

Apparently, their efforts are starting to bear pups

“Having wolves return to California is one of the most significant environmental developments in conservation in this state,” Amaroq Weiss of the Center for Biological Diversity told a local news outlet.

Check out the video of the new family below.

And it is evident from the comments that folks were thrilled by the news!

What do you think of the Gray Wolves’ miraculous comeback in California? Let us know in the comments section, and please be sure to share this story with your friends and family.