Oregon's wandering wolf enters California

OR7 crossed the state border yesterday, becoming the first gray wolf known to roam wild in California since the 1920s. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife informed its California counterpart today that the young male, on the move for several months since leaving its pack in northeast Oregon, has been tracked by radio collar into Siskiyou County. He still hasn't been seen or photographed. The event prompted a press release from California DFG director Charlton H. Bonham, who says: “Whether one is for it or against it, the entry of this lone wolf into California is an historic event and result of much work by the wildlife agencies in the West. If the gray wolf does establish a population in California, there will be much more work to do here.” That's politic. I talked about OR7 and the prospect of wolves returning to California in my Monday segment on KCRW this week.

Coverage of today's news:
Sacramento Bee
Pete Thomas
Los Angeles Times
Redding Searchlight

Photo: OR4 is the sire of OR7. Oregon Department of Fish and Game.

Animal-related: Veronique de Turenne has made some disturbing discoveries, and some exciting sightings, near her barn in the Malibu hills.

Previously on LA Observed:
A gray wolf could be approaching California - first since 1924