California's gray wolf population recently doubled, marking the species' most significant boost in numbers in 100 years.
As Phys.org reported, 30 gray wolves were born in California this spring, so there are now more than 60 of them living in the state.
This increase is significant because the wolves established packs and moved back to California on their own without the help of any wildlife agency reintroduction program. Gray wolves are native to California but nearly ceased to exist due to human activity. The last gray wolf was shot in California in 1924.
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In a surprising turn of events, the new pups were born in five of the state's seven wolf packs.
Amaroq Weiss, a Center for Biological Diversity senior wolf advocate, said, "Seeing wolves return to the places this magnificent species once called home and have these adorable new pups is as inspiring as it gets. At least five California packs have now created families. That's a testament to the visionary power and strong enforcement of the federal and state endangered species acts."
State and federal protections are helping wolves recover and thrive in their native habitats.
Outside of California, wolves are making a comeback in eastern North Carolina and playing a crucial part in maintaining local biodiversity. Wolves help manage prey and small predator populations, thereby supporting birds and preventing deer from overgrazing and destroying native plants.
Beyond wolves, conservationists are making significant strides in their reintroduction efforts for many other species, such as alligator snapping turtles.
"In our history, we spent generations wiping out countless species. Good to see some recovery!" one Facebook user commented on the news shared in a Fresno Bee post.
"We in California have an opportunity to show other states how to properly recover and coexist," commented another Facebook user on a Sacramento Bee share of the news.
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