DFG Creates 'Time-Delay' Map for Gray Wolf on the Move

•  'Journey' May Now Be Nevada Bound

BY ANNE SOBLE

Malibuites interested in monitoring the travel of the Oregon gray wolf, OR 7, aka Journey, that is now wending his way through California, can follow his trail on a map on the new state Department of Fish and Game website dedicated to the wolf.

DFG put up the travel map on Friday that shows the nearly three-year-old male wolf's approximate itinerary since he left his family pack in Oregon and headed alone across the state line.

To try to help assure the GPS-collared wolf's safety, DFG will time-delay posting his actual location on the map.

California environmentalists heralding the return of a wolf may be disappointed to learn that Journey's latest direction has been eastward through Lassen County toward Nevada. Since one of the animal's primary objectives is to find a mate and establish territory, he may have decided that Nevada has more social potential.

When Journey crossed into California in late December, he is believed to be the first wolf to set foot in the state in more than 80 years.

Biologists warn that the young wolf faces numerous perils, and say that many of the tales of lone wolves striking out into unknown territory do not end happily.

The DFG map is located at: www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/nongame/wolf/docs/OR7-Map.pdf