Smithsonian Magazine
The Wolf that Discovered California
The Wolf that Discovered California
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Updated Apil, 2022
From California Department of Fish and Wildlife Lassen Pack The Lassen Pack utilizes a broad area of western Lassen and northern Plumas counties with an approximately 500 mi2 home range. The pack produced litters in 2017 (four pups), 2018 (five pups), 2019 (four pups), 2020 (nine pups), and 2021 (six pups). The pack had two litters in 2020 – the original breeding female (LAS01F) had five pups and a two-year old female (LAS09F) had four pups. LAS09F had six pups in 2021. LAS01F has not been detected since fall 2020. Genetic analysis indicated the original male was a 2014 offspring of southwestern Oregon’s Rogue Pack. While he sired the 2017-2019 litters, he has not been detected with the pack since spring 2019. A black-colored adult male (LAS16M) began traveling with the pack as early as June 2019, and genetic analysis of pup scats showed LAS16M sired both 2020 litters and the 2021 litter. He is not related to other known California wolves, and his origin is currently unknown. The pack’s original breeding female (LAS01F) is not related to known Oregon wolves and genetic analysis indicates she likely dispersed from some other part of the northern Rocky Mountain wolf population. In late summer 2020, a satellite-collared yearling male wolf (LAS13M) dispersed from the pack. After traveling through Lassen and Modoc counties, LAS13M entered Oregon in early October 2020. In September 2018, a yearling female from the pack was found dead, and the matter remains under investigation. Beckwourth Pack The Beckwourth Pack was confirmed in May 2021 when three wolves were photographed by trail camera at a confirmed wolf depredation site in southern Plumas County. Tracks of two wolves had been observed in the same general area in February 2021. Preliminary DNA analysis indicates one wolf is LAS12F (from the Lassen Pack 2019 litter). The origins of the other two wolves remain uncertain. Whaleback Pack The Whaleback Pack consists of the male wolf OR85 and an uncollared female. They occupy a 480 square mile home range in eastern Siskiyou County. OR85 was collared by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) in February 2020 and was likely born in 2019. He dispersed from the Mount Emily Pack near La Grande, Oregon and entered California in November 2020. Genetic analysis indicates the female is closely related to southwestern Oregon’s Rogue Pack. In 2021, the pair produced seven pups Shasta Pack The Shasta Pack was California’s first known contemporary pack and occupied a portion of eastern Siskiyou County. DNA indicated that both breeding wolves were from Oregon’s Imnaha pack (the pack that produced OR7). The pair was first detected in early 2015 and five pups were identified that summer. The pack was regularly detected from August through November 2015 and consisted of a minimum of six wolves in late November 2015. The Shasta Pack was not detected after November 2015, except for one yearling identified within the pack’s range in May 2016. The same animal, verified by DNA, was detected in northwestern Nevada in November 2016. Other Wolves Detected (Collared) OR-103 OR103, a wolf born in 2019 or 2020, entered northeastern Siskiyou County on May 4, 2021. Except for a brief foray into northern Trinity County in early March 2022, he has remained in Siskiyou County. OR103 was collared by ODFW in Deschutes County, Oregon. His pack origin is currently unknown. OR-93 OR93, a male wolf born in 2019, initially entered Modoc County on January 30, 2021. After briefly returning to Oregon, OR93 reentered Modoc County on February 4. On February 24, he entered Alpine County after passing through portions of Lassen, Plumas, Sierra, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Amador, and Calaveras counties. On February 25, he entered Mono County. In mid-March, he was in western Tuolumne County. By late March he was in Fresno County, and then entered San Benito County after crossing Highway 99 and Interstate 5. He was in Monterey County on April 1 and his last collar transmission was from San Luis Obispo County on April 5. OR93 was found dead on November 10, 2021 near the town of Lebec in Kern County. Evidence indicated he died from a vehicle strike. When his collar stopped transmitting on April 5, he had traveled at least 935 air miles in California, a minimum average of 16 air miles per day. OR93 dispersed from the White River pack in northern Oregon. He was collared in June 2020. |
Photo by Randy Robbins
OR54 Video
California Gray Wolves
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OR-54
OR54 was an offspring of southwestern Oregon's Rogue Pack and was most likely born in 2016. She was the fourth Rogue Pack wolf known to have spent time in California. She was fitted with a GPS collar by ODFW in October 2017, and she initially dispersed to California in January 2018. She subsequently spent most of her time in California but made two trips back to Oregon. She traveled widely in northeastern California, through portions of Butte, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Yuba counties. In September 2019, OR54 crossed to the south side of Interstate 80 and briefly entered Nevada before returning to California and again crossing the Interstate. She covered more than 8,710 miles after leaving the Rogue Pack. OR54 was found dead in Shasta County in February 2020 and the circumstances of her death remain under investigation.
OR-59
OR59 was a male wolf from northeastern Oregon. He was fitted with a GPS collar by ODFW in February 2018 and crossed the state line into Modoc County in December 2018. CDFW Wildlife Officers found OR59 shot in December 2018. The circumstances of the death remain under investigation.
OR-44
OR44 was a male offspring from northeastern Oregon’s Chesnimnus Pack. He was fitted with a GPS collar by ODFW in December 2016 and dispersed from his pack in fall 2017. He crossed the state line into eastern Siskiyou County in March 2018. OR44’s collar failed in May 2018, and his last known location was in Siskiyou County.
OR-25
OR25 was a male offspring of northeastern Oregon’s Imnaha Pack. He was fitted with a GPS collar by ODFW in 2014. OR25 made four trips to California during late 2015 and early 2016, traveling through portions of Modoc, Lassen, Shasta, and Siskiyou counties. OR25 was found dead near Fort Klamath, Oregon in October 2017.
OR-7
OR7 was born in 2009 in northeastern Oregon’s Imnaha pack. He was fitted with a GPS collar by ODFW in February 2011. He dispersed from his pack in September 2011 and crossed the state line into eastern Siskiyou County in December 2011. He spent 2012 and early 2013 in California traveling through Butte, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, and Tehama counties. OR7 returned to Oregon in April 2013, found a mate, and formed the Rogue Pack. Three of OR7’s offspring have been detected in California: the original breeding male of the Lassen Pack, a female detected in eastern Siskiyou County in 2017, and OR54. The breeding female of the Whaleback pack is also from the Rogue Pack, although it is not known if she was sired by OR7 or a subsequent breeding male. In late 2019 ODFW reported that OR7 was no longer with the Rogue pack and his fate was unknown
Other Wolves
Since 2017, uncollared dispersing wolves have periodically been detected in northern California via trail cameras, DNA, handheld cameras and visual observation by CDFW. Most of these detections have occurred in Modoc, Lassen, Plumas and Siskiyou counties. Genetic material has been collected from some uncollared dispersers including a female from the Rogue Pack in Siskiyou County in January 2017, a male from northeastern Oregon’s Meacham Pack in Lassen County in October 2017, and a male related to northeastern Oregon’s former Walla Walla Pack detected in Modoc County in May 2020.
OR54 was an offspring of southwestern Oregon's Rogue Pack and was most likely born in 2016. She was the fourth Rogue Pack wolf known to have spent time in California. She was fitted with a GPS collar by ODFW in October 2017, and she initially dispersed to California in January 2018. She subsequently spent most of her time in California but made two trips back to Oregon. She traveled widely in northeastern California, through portions of Butte, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Yuba counties. In September 2019, OR54 crossed to the south side of Interstate 80 and briefly entered Nevada before returning to California and again crossing the Interstate. She covered more than 8,710 miles after leaving the Rogue Pack. OR54 was found dead in Shasta County in February 2020 and the circumstances of her death remain under investigation.
OR-59
OR59 was a male wolf from northeastern Oregon. He was fitted with a GPS collar by ODFW in February 2018 and crossed the state line into Modoc County in December 2018. CDFW Wildlife Officers found OR59 shot in December 2018. The circumstances of the death remain under investigation.
OR-44
OR44 was a male offspring from northeastern Oregon’s Chesnimnus Pack. He was fitted with a GPS collar by ODFW in December 2016 and dispersed from his pack in fall 2017. He crossed the state line into eastern Siskiyou County in March 2018. OR44’s collar failed in May 2018, and his last known location was in Siskiyou County.
OR-25
OR25 was a male offspring of northeastern Oregon’s Imnaha Pack. He was fitted with a GPS collar by ODFW in 2014. OR25 made four trips to California during late 2015 and early 2016, traveling through portions of Modoc, Lassen, Shasta, and Siskiyou counties. OR25 was found dead near Fort Klamath, Oregon in October 2017.
OR-7
OR7 was born in 2009 in northeastern Oregon’s Imnaha pack. He was fitted with a GPS collar by ODFW in February 2011. He dispersed from his pack in September 2011 and crossed the state line into eastern Siskiyou County in December 2011. He spent 2012 and early 2013 in California traveling through Butte, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, and Tehama counties. OR7 returned to Oregon in April 2013, found a mate, and formed the Rogue Pack. Three of OR7’s offspring have been detected in California: the original breeding male of the Lassen Pack, a female detected in eastern Siskiyou County in 2017, and OR54. The breeding female of the Whaleback pack is also from the Rogue Pack, although it is not known if she was sired by OR7 or a subsequent breeding male. In late 2019 ODFW reported that OR7 was no longer with the Rogue pack and his fate was unknown
Other Wolves
Since 2017, uncollared dispersing wolves have periodically been detected in northern California via trail cameras, DNA, handheld cameras and visual observation by CDFW. Most of these detections have occurred in Modoc, Lassen, Plumas and Siskiyou counties. Genetic material has been collected from some uncollared dispersers including a female from the Rogue Pack in Siskiyou County in January 2017, a male from northeastern Oregon’s Meacham Pack in Lassen County in October 2017, and a male related to northeastern Oregon’s former Walla Walla Pack detected in Modoc County in May 2020.