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Wandering Wolf Looking For Love

Wandering Wolf Back on the Grid

Thankfully OR-7 has been found – back in northern California again. Oregon’s famous wandering wolf was finally seen back on the grid Friday after escaping satellite surveillance for five straight days. There had been fears something might have happened to him such as poaching which is a real threat to wolves. The gray wolf is a federally protected species in California.

OR-7 was born in northeastern Oregon as a member of the Imnaha Pack. He is the first wolf known to roam into California since the last trapping of a wild wolf in 1924. He has been searching for a mate and has traveled back and forth between Oregon and California.

He was captured and fitted with a tracking collar a year and a half ago. The GPS system sends daily signals to a satellite that plots his position. This has allowed biologists to follow his trek across Oregon into Northern California. Typically collars only last about two years.

Karen Kovacs of the California Department of Fish and Game said, “Whether or not he was in an area that satellites couldn’t get a fix on him, or his collar is starting to malfunction, we don’t know. But he is back online this morning in western Plumas County.”

This coming Wednesday a public hearing is scheduled in Sacramento, Calif., on whether to put gray wolves on the California state endangered species list. Conservation groups have petitioned the California Fish and Wildlife Commission for the protection. The biggest opposition to the restoration of wolf populations in California has come from ranchers who are fearful the wolves will attack their livestock. So far there have been no reports that OR-7 has attacked any. The area has abundant deer for him to prey on. Stay safe on your journey, OR-7!