加州最后的灰狼群刚刚迎来了3只新狼崽，让所有人都大吃一惊

加州最后的灰狼群刚刚迎来了3只新狼崽，让所有人都大吃一惊

As per officials from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, this April, at least three new wolf pups were born to the Lassen Pack – a group of gray wolves that have been roaming Lassen and Plumas counties in the northeast corner of the Golden State. Eight years ago, a gray wolf wandered into California, which brought the species back to the state for the first time since the 1920s, after ranchers and farmers wiped them out completely.

据加州鱼类和野生动物部门的官员透露，今年4月，拉森狼群至少诞生了3只新狼崽。拉森狼群是一群灰狼，生活在加州东北部的拉森县和普卢玛斯县。八年前，一只灰狼游荡到加州，在农场主和农民彻底消灭灰狼之后，这是自20世纪20年代以来灰狼首次回到加州。

This April, California’s only known wolf pack welcomed its 3 new members

今年四月，加州唯一的狼群迎来了它的3个新成员

The wolf pups and two adult wolves were captured on video on a trail camera on June 18 in a remote area, about 100 miles from the border of Oregon. After the birth of the pups, the total number of gray wolves in the state of California grew to somewhere from seven to ten wolves. It’s difficult to predict the exact number as wolves roam hundreds of miles into other states, while only two wolves in California are wearing radio collars.

6月18日，在距离俄勒冈州边境约100英里的一个偏远地区，一只小狼崽和两只成年狼被跟踪摄像机拍摄了下来。幼崽出生后，加州灰狼的总数从7只增加到10只。很难预测确切的数字，因为狼在其他州游荡数百英里，而在加州只有两只狼戴着无线电项圈。

The wolf population in the Golden State was wiped out in the 1920s

金州狼在20世纪20年代被消灭了

Since the reintroduction of the wolf population began back in 1995 and 1996, the number of wolves has been gradually growing in the United States. Several dozen of them were brought from Canada and released in Yellowstone National Park, as well as the Frank Church Wilderness in Idaho. Consequently, back in 2011, a wolf (that later biologists named OR-7) was spotted to have wandered from Oregon to California, thus starting the recovery of the wolf population in the state.

自从1995年和1996年重新引入狼群以来，美国的狼群数量一直在逐渐增加。其中几十只来自加拿大，在黄石国家公园和爱达荷州的弗兰克·丘奇荒野被放生。因此，在2011年，一只狼(后来的生物学家将其命名为OR-7)被发现从俄勒冈州流浪到加州，从而开始了该州狼种群的恢复。

Since 1995, conservationists have been working on bringing the wolves back to the state

自1995年以来，环保人士一直致力于将狼带回该州

Wolves that used to roam freely across the West coast, went practically extinct in the area as they were hunted and poisoned by hunters, trappers, farmers and ranchers who feared that wolves would hunt their calves or sheep, as well as deer and elk. Amarow Weiss, a biologist and senior advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity in Petaluma commented: “Wolves are important for ecosystems. They are an important thread in the tapestry of nature. Elk and deer evolved with them. Wolves keep them in check, which helps vegetation not get over-eaten. That vegetation provides nesting habitat for migrating birds and building material for beavers, which create ponds for frogs and fish. Wolves are part of what keeps nature healthy and what keeps nature wild.”

曾经在西海岸自由游荡的狼，在该地区几乎灭绝了，因为它们被猎人、农民和牧场主猎杀，并被毒死，他们担心狼会猎杀他们的小牛或羊，以及鹿和麋鹿。帕塔卢马生物多样性中心的生物学家和资深倡导者阿玛罗·韦斯评论说:“狼对生态系统很重要。它们是大自然织锦中的一根重要的线。麋鹿和鹿也随之进化。狼控制它们，这有助于植物不被过度食用。这些植被为候鸟提供了筑巢的栖息地，也为海狸提供了建筑材料，海狸为青蛙和鱼创造了池塘。狼是保持大自然健康和野性的一部分。”

Apparently, the efforts are finally bearing fruit

显然，这些努力终于取得了成果

“Having wolves return to California is one of the most significant environmental developments in conservation in this state,” Amaroq Weiss of the Center for Biological Diversity told a local news outlet.

生物多样性中心的阿马洛克·维斯在接受当地一家新闻媒体采访时说:“让狼回到加州是这个州在保护环境方面最重要的进展之一。”

More info: California Department of Fish and Wildlife

Image credits: California Department of Fish and Wildlife