California’s wolves are fighting for their future. After decades of persecution, gray wolves have returned to the state, but their recovery remains fragile. When conflicts arise, wolves can pay with their lives. Your donation can help prevent wolf deaths by bringing practical, nonlethal solutions to California communities.

In 2025, four wolves from the Beyem Seyo pack in Sierra Valley were killed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) following escalating conflicts. These deaths were devastating, but they also revealed an urgent need: California must do more to support nonlethal coexistence before conflicts escalate to lethal outcomes.

In Defense of Animals is working to make a different future possible for California’s wolves. We need your help to fund the practical tools, local partnerships, and sustained support that can help wolves remain on the landscape.

In Defense of Animals visited Sierra Valley in September 2025 and returned in June 2026 to better understand wolf activity, examine existing nonlethal approaches, and identify opportunities to strengthen coexistence. Our findings highlighted gaps in coordination and continuity of support, including temporary funding for drone operations. When nonlethal measures are unavailable or introduced too late, wolves can pay the ultimate price.

We cannot bring the Beyem Seyo wolves who were lost back, but we can work to ensure that future conflicts do not end the same way. Our report documented the continued presence of wolves in the region, including the Long Valley Pack, recognized by CDFW in April 2026. 

Wolves should have the opportunity to live, form packs, raise their pups, and roam California’s wild landscapes without facing lethal consequences when coexistence becomes challenging. In Defense of Animals supporters have already helped advance the California Wildlife Coexistence Act, showing how advocacy can move humane solutions forward. Now, we must help turn that progress into meaningful action on the ground.

With your support, we can advance practical, science-informed approaches to wolf coexistence, including nonlethal deterrents such as drones and acoustic devices, improved monitoring, stronger local partnerships, and early intervention in areas where wolves are present or expanding. We also aim to evaluate these approaches carefully, identify what works, and help ensure support remains available when it is needed.

No single tool can prevent every conflict, but sustained funding and thoughtful planning can give nonlethal approaches a stronger chance of succeeding before lethal measures are considered. These efforts are about more than responding to individual conflicts. They are about creating the conditions wolves need to survive and recover across California.

The four Beyem Seyo wolves who died cannot be saved. But we can honor their lives by working to protect the wolves who remain.

Please donate today to support In Defense of Animals’ wolf coexistence program in California. Together, we can help build a future where wolves can live, raise their families, and remain part of California’s wild landscapes.