Gray wolf wanders into Nevada before returning to California

By Carly Sauvageau, Reno Gazette Journal

A gray wolf that wandered into remote areas of western Nevada this week has returned to California, Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) spokesperson Ashley Zeme told the Reno Gazette Journal on Wednesday morning.

The wolf traveled into Nevada north of Lake Tahoe between Mount Rose and Mount Houghton on Monday morning. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife notified NDOW that the wolf’s GPS collar showed it was in the state. No sightings of the animal were reported.

“Historically, wolves detected in Nevada have been dispersing individuals from neighboring states. These animals typically move through remote areas of the state briefly before moving out of the state,” Zeme said.

“Nevada does not have an established wolf population,” Zeme added. “However, established wolf populations in Idaho, Oregon and California increase the likelihood that wolves will occasionally cross into Nevada.”

Zeme said NDOW continues to monitor and share data on wolves with neighboring states and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the management authority over wolves.

Zeme said reports on wolf sightings are “invaluable.” She advised people who believe they’ve seen a wolf to contact the USFWS or NDOW to share the report. Sightings that include coordinates, clear photos (especially images with metadata that show geographic references) allow NDOW to follow up and verify observations.

Zeme said that although the wolf that visited Nevada remained at high elevations, people can reduce the likelihood of attracting any predatory species (including coyotes, black bears and mountain lions) by securing garbage, not leaving pet food outdoors and minimizing food sources that attract prey species such as rodents.

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