State: California’s Growing Wolf Population Responsible For 19 Cattle Deaths In NorCal

The steady increase of wolves in the extreme north and northeast of California surely meant that their instincts to seek out food would take a toll on local ranchers. Sure enough, a report from the state concluded that wolves were responsible for multiple livestock attacks and deaths,.

Here’s more from the Redding Record Searchlight:

Wolves were responsible for at least 19 cattle deaths statewide between October and December 2024, according to the state’s quarterly wolf report, released Tuesday, March 4. Almost all those confirmed wolf depredation incidents happened in the far north, mostly in rural Siskiyou and Lassen counties.

An endangered and protected species, gray wolves are slowly making a comeback in California after they were hunted to extinction statewide a century ago. That’s putting them at odds with ranchers trying to protect their cattle, based on California Department of Fish and Wildlife data.

Keeping wolves off his Modoc County ranch is “emotional and stressful,” said Ray Anklin, who said he lost a yearling to wolves on Dec. 23. “You don’t see grown men cry very much, but … you care for the livestock day and night, and then this happens.”

You can find more info on specific wolf packs from this most recent CDFW report.