A gray wolf was confirmed in Mendocino National Forest after CDFW investigators verified photos and tracks from two late‑August reports where Mendocino, Glenn and Lake counties meet. The sighting — the first in that forest since wolves returned to California around 2011 and the only confirmed occurrence west of the Sacramento Valley — suggests range expansion. The return has reignited tensions with ranchers as a recent executive order directs federal review of gray wolf protections under the Endangered Species Act, drawing criticism from conservation groups.
Rare Gray Wolf Confirmed In Mendocino National Forest — First Sighting There Since Wolves Returned
A photo from a Facebook post showing a gray wolf.Photograph: Lake County Supervisor Brad Rasmussen via Facebook
A gray wolf was verified in California's Mendocino National Forest after two reports from the area where Mendocino, Glenn and Lake counties meet, officials said. This is the first confirmed sighting in that forest since wolves began recolonizing the state around 2011.
County officials in Lake County — about two hours north of San Francisco — told the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) that they had received reports of wolf activity in late August. The agency obtained photographs, dispatched staff the following day and confirmed the animal's presence, Lake County Supervisor Brad Rasmussen said on social media.
"The sighting was verified by a CDFW wolf biologist who confirmed the validity of the photos, conducted surveys in the area and confirmed wolf tracks where one of the sightings was reported," Alicia de la Garza, CDFW deputy director of public affairs, said.
Wolves were driven to local extinction in California roughly a century ago, but the species began returning in 2011 and has steadily increased its range over the past decade, primarily in rural and remote northeastern areas of the state. State records now list at least 50 documented wolves in California.
The Lake County detection is notable because it represents the only confirmed wolf sighting west of the Sacramento Valley so far, Axel Hunnicutt, state gray wolf coordinator for CDFW, told the Sacramento Bee. Officials say the observation is a sign the species may be expanding its range.
"Evidence of wolves in that part of the state is a good thing," Hunnicutt said.
The wolf's return has provoked debate. Ranchers and livestock owners have voiced frustration over legal limits on how they can respond when wolves kill livestock — wolves are protected under California law and, in many places, under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Last week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled "Supporting America's Ranchers" that directs the Department of the Interior to review whether gray wolves should remain listed under the ESA and to consider easing restrictions on "lethal removal" of wolves. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has previously pursued delisting, but litigation over the species’ federal status is ongoing. A 2022 federal court order currently extends ESA protections across much of the lower 48 states.
Conservation groups condemned the president's directive. Leia Barnett, New Mexico conservation lead for WildEarth Guardians, said the administration was attempting to undercut core environmental laws to benefit industry interests.
State and federal wildlife officials say they will continue monitoring the area and working with local communities to balance wolf conservation with the protection of livestock and rural livelihoods.
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