Wolves in California

Gray wolves were declared extinct in California in 1924. Nearly a century later, on December 28, 2011, a male wolf from Oregon named OR-7 made history as the first confirmed wild wolf in California. Four years later, the state celebrated the arrival of its first wolf pack. Today, around 45 wolves call California home.

Wolves in California are fortunate to have state endangered species protections, keeping them safe from trophy hunting and trapping even if federal safeguards are removed. Thank you, California!

However, wolves in other states aren’t as fortunate—many lack strong state protections and rely solely on federal laws for survival. Californians have the power to help save these wolves by supporting strong federal protections. Wolves can’t speak or vote—but we can.

What's at Stake

Gray wolves at risk

Today, gray wolves live in small, fragmented populations, occupying only a fraction of their historical range. The Endangered Species Act has been crucial in protecting them from hunting and trapping. However, in the Northern Rockies, wolves have already lost federal protections, leading to widespread slaughter. New legislation threatens to strip protections from gray wolf populations across the U.S., putting even more wolves at risk.

Legislative threats

Don’t be misled by its name. The Trust the Science Act (H.R. 764/S. 1895) would remove federal protections for gray wolves across the U.S. and prevent courts from overturning the decision. It passed the House and is now in the Senate. Another bill, the Department of the Interior Appropriations Act (H.R. 8998), includes a rider to strip protections from wolves in the lower 48 states. Bills like these keep coming, constantly threatening the future of wolves. We must stay vigilant and use our voices to ensure these dangerous laws never take effect.

Deadly consequences

The removal of federal protections in the Northern Rockies has shifted wolf management to individual states, where laws often cater to trophy hunting interests. In Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, hundreds of wolves are slaughtered each year in brutal trophy hunts. In Wisconsin, when protections were briefly lifted, trophy hunters killed 218 wolves in less than three days. If more wolves lose protections, we could see similar tragedies unfold across the country.

Protect America's wolves

It’s not just gray wolves at risk. Around 250 critically endangered Mexican gray wolves (‘lobos’) in Arizona and New Mexico are facing similar legislative threats, while fewer than 20 wild red wolves are known to exist in North Carolina, making them the world’s most endangered wolves. The urgency to protect America’s wolves could not be greater. Alaska Alaska is home to the largest population of gray wolves in the United States, with estimates ranging from 7,000 to 11,000 individuals. Unlike in other states, Alaska's wolves have never been listed as threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act, as their populations haven’t faced the same drastic declines. However, without federal or state protections, approximately 1,300 wolves are hunted and trapped each year in Alaska. Alaskans have the power to help protect wolves both in our state and nationwide. Wolves can’t speak or vote—but we can. Their survival is in our hands. Arizona Arizona is home to the critically endangered Mexican gray wolf ("lobo”), the rarest subspecies of gray wolf in North America. Once found throughout portions of New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and Mexico, the Mexican gray wolf was wiped out in the U.S. by the late 1970s. As of March 2024, at least 257 Mexican gray wolves are living in the mountains of central Arizona and New Mexico. Their path to recovery remains fragile due to critically low population sizes, genetic diversity concerns, poaching, and government-sponsored predator control for the livestock industry. Arizonans have the power to help protect wolves both in our state and nationwide. Wolves can’t speak or vote—but we can. Their survival is in our hands. It’s not just gray wolves at risk. Lobos are facing similar legislative threats, while fewer than 20 wild red wolves are known to exist in North Carolina, making them the world’s most endangered wolves. The urgency to protect America’s wolves could not be greater.

Elect to Protect

Now is the time to act—before its too late. Vote for officials who will protect wolves and raise your voice for their future.

Your Elected Officals