Gray Wolf Spotted in Los Angeles County After Over a Century

The 3-year-old female wolf's journey highlights the challenges and possibilities of wildlife recovery in California's urban-wildland interface.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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A 3-year-old female gray wolf, identified as BEY03F, was tracked north of Santa Clarita in the San Gabriel Mountains on February 7, marking the first confirmed sighting of the species in the Los Angeles region in over a century. The wolf's journey, documented via a GPS collar, underscores the species' slow but persistent return to California after being eradicated from the state by 1924.

Why it matters

The presence of a wolf in Los Angeles County, even briefly, highlights the challenges facing the species' recovery, including vehicle collisions, the need for large open spaces, and the urban-wildland interface. However, it also reignites hope and debate around the possibilities of wildlife recovery in California.

The details

BEY03F originated from the Beyem Seyo pack in Plumas County, born in 2023, and later joined the Yowlumni pack in Tulare County, where she was collared. She traveled over 370 miles from her birthplace to reach the mountains north of Santa Clarita, traversing the length of the Sierra Nevada. Authorities believe she continued north after finding no signs of other wolves in Los Angeles County, potentially deterred by the Grapevine transportation corridor.

  • On February 7, BEY03F was tracked north of Santa Clarita in the San Gabriel Mountains.
  • By February 9, BEY03F had continued north into Kern County.

The players

BEY03F

A 3-year-old female gray wolf whose journey into Los Angeles County marked the first confirmed sighting of the species in the region in over a century.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW)

The state agency that tracked and documented BEY03F's movements.

Amaroq Weiss

Senior wolf advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity who explained the importance of wolves finding a mate within a limited breeding window.

Axel Hunnicutt

Gray wolf coordinator for the CDFW who believes BEY03F continued north after finding no signs of other wolves in Los Angeles County.

Beth Pratt

California regional executive director for the National Wildlife Federation who noted that wolves require large, open spaces, a rarity in the densely populated Los Angeles area.

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What they’re saying

“Unlike dogs who can mate a couple times a year, come into heat a couple times a year, wolves aren't that way. So it's really important for them to find a mate before this window of time. She's really kind of on the border here. It's possible she could find a mate still within the next, like, two weeks or so and still be fertile. But time is slipping away and the clock is ticking.”

— Amaroq Weiss, Senior wolf advocate, Center for Biological Diversity

“You're never going to see a wolf pack running in Griffith Park.”

— Beth Pratt, California regional executive director, National Wildlife Federation

“This signifies a historic moment in the return of wolves for California.”

— John Marchwick, California Wolf Watch

What’s next

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife continues to track BEY03F's movements, and authorities believe she is likely to continue heading north, leaving her ultimate destination and reproductive success unresolved.

The takeaway

BEY03F's brief foray into Los Angeles County highlights both the challenges and possibilities of wolf recovery in California's urban-wildland interface. While vehicle collisions and lack of open space pose significant obstacles, the presence of a wolf in the region after over a century underscores the species' slow but persistent return to the state, reigniting hope and debate around wildlife conservation efforts.