SAN FRANCISCO— California’s wolf population grew by 10% in 2025, with a total of nine packs by the end of December, according to a report released today by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. The number of successful breeding wolf pairs declined, the report said.

“I’m glad California has issued its first annual wolf report, though it’s a mixture of good and concerning news,” said Amaroq Weiss, a senior wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. “More wolf packs and more new territories are exactly what we’d want for a wolf population that’s beginning to recover, so that’s clearly a good thing. But I hope 2025 is the only year where we see successful breeding pairs decline.”

The known population of California wolves was 55 at the end of 2025, an increase from 50 wolves in 2024. The number of successful breeding pairs — adult pairs who raised at least two pups to the end of December — declined to three in 2025 from five breeding pairs in 2024. Statewide there were nine reported packs, up from seven in 2024, and multiple lone wolves dispersing.

The nine packs confirmed at the end of 2025 include the Ashpan, Diamond, Grizzly, Harvey, Ice Cave, Lassen, Tunnison, Whaleback and Yowlumni packs. Of these, the three packs which qualified as having successful breeding pairs were Harvey, Ice Cave and Whaleback.

The decline in successful breeding pairs may be offset in the coming year. In April the department issued a report for the first quarter of 2026 and noted the discovery of three more packs, all of which could potentially contribute to the breeding pool this year. These are the Whitehorse, Long Valley and Interstate packs.

Today’s report documented 12 known wolf deaths in 2025.

Four wolves from the Beyem Seyo pack were killed by the department in response to conflicts with livestock in Sierra Valley and two wolves died from vehicle strikes. Three wolves were found dead of unknown causes, and the deaths of three additional wolves are under investigation. The fact the department is investigating their deaths suggests they may have been illegally killed, but the agency has yet to release any details.

Scientific research has shown that for every illegally slain wolf that’s found, another one to two have been killed and remain undiscovered.

Today’s report noted that in 2025 some members of the Yowlumni pack were discovered to have contracted sarcoptic mange. The pack’s breeding female subsequently died, likely from exposure and infection from the malady, and two packmates who died were found to also have contracted mange.

“Issuing this first-ever annual report is a milestone and an important complement to the department’s quarterly wolf reports, which also provide critical information,” said Weiss. “Wolves are a part of California’s natural heritage and their return is an amazing conservation story to celebrate.”

Background

The first wolf in nearly a century to make California part of his range was OR-7, a radio-collared wolf from Oregon that entered California in late 2011. OR-7 traveled across seven northeastern counties in California before returning to southwestern Oregon, where he found a mate and settled down, forming the Rogue pack.

Several of OR-7’s offspring have since come to California and established packs. Those included the original breeding male of the Lassen pack and the breeding female of the Yowlumni pack. The Shasta pack, California’s first confirmed wolf pack in nearly 100 years, was discovered in 2015 but disappeared a few months later.

The gray wolf (Canis lupus) is native to California but was driven to extinction in the state by the mid-1920s. After OR-7 left Oregon for California, the Center and allies successfully petitioned the state to fully protect wolves under California’s endangered species act. Wolves are also federally protected in California under the federal Endangered Species Act. It is illegal to intentionally kill any wolves in the state.