In Sierra Valley, an unprecedented summer of livestock depredations rattles a rural ranching community and forces state officials to adjust management strategies
The most exceptional case of wolf-livestock conflict in modern American history unfolded in the summer of 2025 in the pastoral Sierra Valley, about 50 miles north of Lake Tahoe, as a single pack of gray wolves killed at least 88 cattle.
“The Beyem Seyo Pack was one of the most livestock-predating packs in the history of Western wolf recovery,” says Arthur Middleton, professor of wildlife management at UC Berkeley, who is currently studying gray wolves in the state.
The Beyem Seyo Pack, consisting primarily of a breeding pair, six pups and several juveniles, wrought havoc throughout Sierra Valley, killing cattle daily from May onward before the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) ordered the lethal removal of three of the wolves in October…