The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) posted an update to social media regarding the Livestock Compensation Program that assists ranchers affected by wolves.
Since the program began in 2022, more than $3.52 million has been distributed to producers across several Northern California counties.
The funding supports three categories: direct livestock losses, pay-for-presence payments and deterrent tools designed to reduce wolf conflicts. According to CDFW, the largest share of funding has gone to Siskiyou County, where payments exceed $2 million across the three categories. Smaller but notable amounts have been distributed in Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra and Tulare counties.
CDFW also released a summary of investigations documenting ongoing wolf-livestock conflicts. In 2026, 25 depredation investigations were conducted, with 16 livestock confirmed or probably killed or injured by wolves, according to the department’s investigation summary.
The Whaleback Pack has been linked to the largest share of livestock losses, while other incidents have been attributed to packs such as the Harvey, Grizzly and Ashpan packs, as well as dispersing wolves moving through the region.
