11 Newborns Join Whaleback, Lessen Wolfpacks, Adding to Scarce Wolf Numbers in California

In a "conservation milestone," two wolfpacks gave birth to 11 pups, adding to the state of California's small wolf population.

A flurry of pups has joined the families of two of California's existing wolfpacks, the Lassen pack and the Whaleback pack, this year, according to a quarterly report released by the California Department of Fish and Game.

According to the report, the Whaleback pack has borne at least six pups, compared to the Lassen pack's five.

Scarcity of Wolves

There aren't many wolves in California.

The Whaleback pack, the Lassen pack, and the Beckwourth pack are the only three wolfpacks that are recognized in the state.

The last of the original wolves in California were hunted in 1924, nearly a century after wolves were completely eradicated from the state.

In the Sierra Nevada, the Lassen pack's range includes the counties of Plumas and Lassen. Meanwhile, East Siskiyou County, in the state's northernmost region, is where the Whaleback pack is found.

The new members of the packs increased the size of the Whaleback pack to at least 13, and the Lassen pack to at least 12 .

Amaroq Weiss, the senior wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, said that These adorable furry babies are cause for celebration.

Weiss stated in a press release from the Center for Biological Diversity that since wolves were extinct in California for almost a century, the existence of two packs with new pups for consecutive years is a major conservation achievement.

This supports the scientific consensus that California will always be a wolf country.

Coming Back to California

The species did not need to be reintroduced; instead, it came back naturally from nearby states, primarily from Oregon.

The Lassen pack was discovered in the state for the first time in 2017, whereas the Whaleback pack was founded for the first time in late 2020.

The Trump administration delisted gray wolves from the Endangered Species Act two years ago.

This implied that they were no longer covered by federal legislation.

The said ruling was overturned this February, making hunting now subject to greater restrictions and, in effect, there are fewer threats to the wolf species of California.

Read also: "Conflict Between Wolves and Humans" Becomes the Reason Behind Swedish Government's Decision to Cull Wolf Population by Half 

Wolfpacks of California

The Whaleback pack didn't have its first litter of pups until 2021, whereas the Lassen pack has had pups every year since 2017.

Considering that the Beckwourth pack wasn't found until 2021, it still poses a mystery. They are not thought to have accepted any pups because experts discovered the pack.

In the quarterly report, no fresh information was gathered regarding this pack.

Weiss expressed her delight that the few wolf families in California are now successfully breeding pups annually.

The safety net required for these magnificent animals to survive is provided by ongoing state and federal protections.

However, the state's wolf recovery is still in its early stages, because the few wolf families are all still trying to establish a foothold.

Therefore, the government will have to take all necessary measures to ensure that even more wolves survive and thrive in California, Newsweek reported.

Related article: Wolves Reintroduction Into the Wild Can Restore Local Ecosystems, Scientists Say