We have Posted previously that while many have thought that gray wolves did not historically occupy California, the hard evidence does in fact support the fact that Lobos roamed the state prior to European colonization..........Sonoma State University Scientists Michael Newland and Michael Stoyka found linguistic and cultural evidence indicating that indigenous peoples across California had words for, and rituals involving, wolves............... No fewer than 15 of California's indigenous languages have distinct words for "wolf," "coyote" and "dog.......... In the oral traditions of five indigenous languages, wolves appear as deities or a part of ceremony or ancestral history..............Previous research had compiled historical accounts of sightings of wolves in California by European explorers and settlers...........These accounts were from locations scattered widely across the state.............. However. because it was not always clear that observers were familiar with, and could distinguish between, wolves, coyotes and dogs, the reliability of such accounts had been called into question............. The new study's linguistic analysis honed in on whether indigenous people distinguished between these three canids as well as examining the role ascribed to wolves in cultural stories and traditions.............All evidence pointed to the unique treatment of the wolf — quite distinct from roles or characteristics assigned to coyotes or dogs............Hopefully this new study will expedite the passage of laws protecting the Wolf as it wanders into the state from neighboring Oregon et.al.

NEW EVIDENCE THAT WOLVES HISTORICALLY OCCUPIED CALIFORNIA For Immediate Release, September 11, 2013 Contacts:  Lauren Richie, California  Wolf Center, (443) 797-2280 Amaroq Weiss, Center for  Biological Diversity, (707) 779-9613 Michael Newland, Sonoma State  University Anthropological  Studies Center, (707) 664-2734 SAN FRANCISCO— As gray wolves begin to return to California,  a study  released today by the Sonoma  State University Anthropological Studies Center sheds new light  on the  widespread historical distribution  of wolves in the state. The report comes as the California  Department of  Fish and Wildlife is considering  whether to protect the animals under the state's Endangered  Species Act;  it demonstrates the historic  presence of gray wolves across California. "The new research is relevant to the state's decision," said  Lauren Richie,  Northern California associate  director for the California Wolf Center, "since it provides  evidence of the  widespread distribution of  California's wolf population across diverse habitats before  wolves were  hunted to extinction here."  Oregon Wolf "7" photographed in California The study, conducted by the university's staff archeologist  Michael Newland  and faunal specialist Michael  Stoyka, found linguistic and cultural evidence indicating  that indigenous  peoples across California had words  for, and rituals involving, wolves. No fewer than15 of  California's indigenous  languages have distinct words for  "wolf," "coyote" and "dog," and in the oral traditions  of five languages, wolves  appear as deities or a part of  ceremony or ancestral history. The wolf is a creator deity, for instance, in Southern  Paiute traditions; sorcerers  are capable of turning into  wolves in Tolowa traditions; and three Northern  California tribes — the Karuk,  Hoopa and Yurok — used wolf  fur in their dance regalia. Evidence also exists that  some California tribes ate  wolves as food. The widespread  distribution of evidence implies the wolf itself once  had an expansive range,  from north to south and from east  to west throughout the state. "In modern times we talk about wolves being  ecologically important," said  Amaroq Weiss, a West Coast wolf  organizer at the Center for Biological Diversity,  "but this research shows us  that wolves have been a part of  California's cultural heritage for thousands of  years."  Previous research had compiled historical  accounts of sightings of wolves  in California by European explorers  and settlers, and these accounts were from  locations scattered widely across  the state. But because it was  not always clear that observers were familiar  with, and could distinguish between,  wolves, coyotes and dogs,  the reliability of such accounts had been  called into question. The new study's  linguistic analysis honed in on  whether indigenous people distinguished  between these three canids, and the  study's examination of the role  ascribed to wolves in cultural stories and  traditions revealed unique treatment  of the wolf — quite distinct from  roles or characteristics assigned to  coyotes or dogs. "This study sets a baseline for understanding  that many indigenous people across  California came into contact  with wolves and also helps to identify additional  research areas that would broaden  our understanding of the  historical distribution, role and cultural  significance of wolves in California," said  Newland. Wolves were driven to extinction in California  by the mid-1920s, but in late 2011  a wolf from Oregon, known as  OR-7 or "Journey," entered California and  remained in the state for 15 months,  wandering throughout seven  northern counties before returning to Oregon  in March. The dispersal of this wolf  into California sparked efforts  to gain full state protections for the species,  in anticipation that Oregon's growing  wolf population will result in  more wolves finding their way into California.  A state listing petition filed in 2012  by the Center for Biological  Diversity and allies resulted in the gray wolf  being declared a candidate for listing;  the state is expected to  complete its status review and issue a  recommendation on listing late this year. Amaroq Weiss West Coast Wolf Organizer Center for Biological Diversity 707-779-9613 aweiss@biologicaldiversity.org www.BiologicalDiversity.org