For the first time in over 100 years, a near-extinct species was discovered near the Giant Sequoia National Monument in southern California.
Michelle Harris noticed a large, grey dog crossing a fire road in the region in early July, according to the Los Angeles Times. “It tilted its head back and let out a decent howl,” Harris added. “All I could think was, ‘It doesn’t look like a coyote, but it has to be, right?'” she said.
The animal’s footprints, fur, and feces were later analyzed to confirm that it was a female grey wolf. She was the leader of what researchers dubbed ‘the Tulare Pack.’ According to research, she arrived with two male and two female offspring.
Furthermore, a DNA study confirmed that they are direct descendants of the wolf OR-7, who visited California for the first time in 90 years in 2011. He was Oregon’s seventh radio-collared wolf. His GPS collar sent location data to satellites every day until 2014 when it ceased working due to battery failure.
The arrival of the grey wolf near the national monument piqued the interest of environmentalists. They also asked the US Forest Service to put logging projects in the area on hold until they could analyze the impact on endangered animals.
Mixed reactions to Grey Wolf sighting
However, not everyone was pleased with the news of the grey wolf sighting. While logging companies opposed stopping their operations, livestock owners were concerned that their animals might become food for these huge predators.
In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the same dread motivated the original drive to eradicate wolves across the United States. However, removing these apex predators had a negative influence on the environment since deer and elk populations in the nation suddenly increased.
The wolves’ absence has had an influence on the overall ecosystem and scenery of Yellowstone National Park. The restoration of these uncommon canines can bring about tremendous harmony.
Farmers and ranchers have little to fear because California has a mechanism in place to compensate owners of livestock killed by wolves, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Harris, on the other hand, believed that although the humans were adjusting to the new group, the wolves had moved on because she hadn’t seen any new evidence since July. “There’s been a lot more activity in the area since then. Maybe they’ve moved to a quieter place with room to roam,” she said.