Endangered Grey Wolf Spotted in Los Angeles After Over 100 Years

The young female wolf has traveled over 370 miles from Northern California to the Santa Clarita area.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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For the first time in over a century, an endangered grey wolf has been spotted in Los Angeles County. The 3-year-old female wolf, known as BEY03F, was born in 2023 to the Beyem Seyo Pack in Plumas County and has since journeyed over 370 miles southward, with the latest sighting in the mountains north of Santa Clarita. Wildlife officials have been monitoring her movements via a GPS collar and say her journey is not over as she has not yet found a mate and suitable habitat.

Why it matters

The return of the grey wolf to California is a significant conservation milestone, as the species was driven to local extinction in the early 20th century due to hunting and trapping. As a keystone species, the wolf's presence is vital for maintaining a balanced food chain and nurturing biodiversity in the state's ecosystems.

The details

BEY03F was last seen in the desert south of Kern County just four hours before the Santa Clarita sighting, according to Axel Hunnicutt, the grey wolf coordinator for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. If she ventures toward the Tehachapi Mountains, she might encounter other wolves and form a new pack. However, Hunnicutt noted that the highest known cause of mortality for wolves in California is vehicle strikes, as the more she moves, the more she has to encounter human infrastructure and highways.

  • BEY03F was spotted around 6am on Saturday, February 7, 2026.
  • BEY03F was last seen in the desert south of Kern County just four hours before the Santa Clarita sighting.

The players

BEY03F

A 3-year-old female grey wolf born in 2023 to the Beyem Seyo Pack in Plumas County, California.

Axel Hunnicutt

The grey wolf coordinator for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

John Marchwick

A writer for the nonprofit California Wolf Watch.

Douglas Smith

A Yellowstone biologist.

California Wolf Center

A nonprofit organization that stated the wolf's role as an apex predator is vital for maintaining a balanced food chain and nurturing biodiverse ecosystems.

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What they’re saying

“Her journey isn't over. The fact that she is still on the move is an indication that she has not found a mate and suitable habitat.”

— Axel Hunnicutt, Grey Wolf Coordinator, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Los Angeles Times)

“The wolf is a keystone species. If you remove it, the effects cascade down to the grasses.”

— Douglas Smith, Yellowstone Biologist (Los Angeles Times)

“The one thing that we do know is the more that she moves, the more that she has to encounter human infrastructure, and particularly highways. And we know that in California, the highest known cause of mortality for wolves is vehicle strikes.”

— Axel Hunnicutt, Grey Wolf Coordinator, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Los Angeles Times)

“This is a historic moment in the return of wolves to California.”

— John Marchwick, Writer, California Wolf Watch (Los Angeles Times)

What’s next

If BEY03F ventures toward the Tehachapi Mountains, she might encounter other wolves and form a new pack.

The takeaway

The sighting of the endangered grey wolf in Los Angeles County after over a century is a significant conservation milestone, highlighting the ongoing efforts to restore the species in California and the importance of the wolf's role as a keystone species in maintaining balanced ecosystems.