ABOUT THE PROJECT

The gray wolf (Canis lupus) has returned to California after nearly a century of absence following their extirpation in the 1920’s. Their natural recolonization into the state began in 2011 with individuals dispersing from a source population in Oregon. Wolves are now classified as endangered both under the California Endangered Species Act and the federal Endangered Species Act. As of the summer of 2024, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has identified seven confirmed wolf packs in California: Antelope (Sierra and Nevada counties), Beckwourth (Plumas and Sierra counties), Beyem Seyo (Plumas County), Harvey (Lassen and Shasta counties), Lassen (Lassen and Plumas counties), Whaleback (Siskiyou County), and Yowlumni (Tulare County). CDFW continues to survey for the presence of uncollared and collared wolves, based on sighting reports and other signs of wolf activity. Survey areas include Modoc, Plumas, and Tehama counties and several additional areas of suspected wolf presence in Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, and Shasta counties. 

California’s wolf packs utilize large expanses of habitat compared to other areas in the western United States, presenting challenges for monitoring the population and questions regarding the availability of prey. The state, along with many landowners, are mounting a variety of livestock protection and conflict reduction efforts while learning new lessons about their efficacy. CAWP is a timely initiative complementing the state’s efforts with rigorous research and an outreach strategy for collaborating with local communities affected by wolf activity. The path of wolf recovery in California – the most populous and diverse U.S. state – has the potential to shape national, and even global, perspectives on wildlife restoration and large-scale conservation. CAWP seeks to develop a model for how to bring universities, government agencies, and local communities together around the science and practice of improving human-wildlife interactions on a shared landscape.

With the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) as our principal partner, our initial efforts are focused on establishing crucial research baselines for wolf ecology and wolf-human interactions in Northern California.

Research objectives

We are gathering a variety of field data and programmatic information to better understand:

  • Wolf home range and habitat use
  • Habitat occupancy predictions
  • Prey, scavenging, and diet analysis
  • Ungulate resource selection, habitat use, and habitat quality
  • Native ungulates and carnivore densities within areas occupied by wolves
  • Livestock depredation patterns
  • Performance of conflict reduction and compensation programs
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