Lone wolf tracked near Truckee. Why experts say be cautious but not concerned.
A recent post by the Truckee Police Department alerting residents to wolf activity near town has some people in Nevada County concerned.
The post quickly spread on social media, drawing hundreds of comments and more than a thousand shares.
Wildlife officials stress that wolves are highly endangered in California, and hunting or harming them is illegal. In this case, the wolf was wearing a GPS collar and was tracked through the state's wolf tracker website.
Monitoring California's small but growing wolf population isn't easy. One of the most effective tools involves collaring individual wolves and tracking their movements through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
"We have anywhere between 10 and 15 collars at any given time," said Axel Hunnicutt, the department's gray wolf coordinator.
On Sunday, Truckee police posted a "situational alert" on Facebook after a lone wolf's collar was pinged just north of town. Hunnicutt says the sighting itself isn't alarming or surprising.
"This is the time of year when we typically expect to see wolves dispersing," he said.
During winter, around Valentine's Day, young wolves often leave their packs, searching for mates and new territory.
"As these one-to-two-year-old wolves are seeking out new territories, they can range very widely," said Susan Dewer, president and founder of the California Wolf Foundation.
In this case, the wolf stayed near Truckee for a short time before traveling 15 to 20 miles east overnight into Nevada. Dewer, who works closely with ranchers on wolf-livestock conflict management, says that kind of movement is typical.
"If he didn't have a collar, he likely would've passed through unnoticed," she said.
Detection was only possible because of Fish and Wildlife's newly launched wolf tracking website. Hunnicutt says the purpose of the site is to help ranchers and livestock producers understand where wolves are and take steps to reduce potential conflict.
While wolves are apex predators, Hunnicutt says deadly attacks on humans are extremely rare, with only a handful reported in North America over the past 100 years. Still, he says basic outdoor precautions are critical.
"People should take the same precautions they would in any wild environment with large animals," Hunnicutt said.
Similar to bears, experts recommend not leaving food outside, keeping dogs on leashes, avoiding leaving pets outdoors alone, and being mindful when walking or hiking alone during dawn or dusk hours.
Residents interested in viewing the wolf tracker map, CLICK HERE.
