California wildlife officials have taken the rare step of euthanizing four gray wolves in the Sierra Valley, following an unprecedented number of livestock attacks that claimed dozens of cattle over the summer.

The decision, announced by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, marks the first lethal removal of wolves in the state in more than a century.

The wolves, part of the Beyem Seyo pack, were responsible for 70 livestock losses between March and September 2025, more than 60% of all confirmed or probable wolf-related kills statewide during that period. Despite months of nonlethal deterrence, including drones, 24-hour patrols, and other adaptive management tactics, the pack had become habituated to preying on cattle rather than their natural prey of deer and elk.

CDFW said the behavior posed a long-term risk to both ranchers and the future of wolf recovery in California, as young wolves were beginning to learn and replicate the cattle-hunting behavior.

The euthanized wolves included a breeding pair and two subadults. Two other juveniles were found dead prior to the operation, and three remaining wolves will be relocated to a wildlife sanctuary to prevent the learned behavior from spreading to other packs.

“This decision was not made lightly,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham, noting that while the return of wolves to California is ecologically significant, it also brings new challenges for rural communities.

Gray wolves remain protected under both state and federal endangered species laws. Most of California’s wolves live in the northeast portion of the state, with a small population in the southern Sierra Nevada.