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Gray wolf with record-setting journey dies

2 mins read

The unparalleled gray wolf who gained the spotlight for its journey through California last year have died.

The male gray wolf, OR-93, was discovered lifeless off Interstate 5 near Lebec town in Kern County on Nov. 10, according to a report by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, as reported by SFGATE.

The animal’s death was caused by a vehicular accident, the department said, ruling out foul play as its cause of death.

It might be sad news for a number of wildlife supporters who have been monitoring the wolf since it appeared for the first time in a century, last February near Yosemite.

The male wolf set a record for talking about a thousand-mile trail in its journey from the Sierra going to the Bay Area. It took Monterey County and went as far as Kern County in the south. Its odyssey has never been done by any wolf in the state’s Central Valley or coastal counties for two to three centuries.

In April, its collar was reported missing, triggering some fears about his life. This was replaced by hope in October when it was spotted near Los Angeles. In May, an unearthed video footage showed it in Kern County.

Gray wolves are not present in the Golden State for about a hundred years until 2011.

Two-year-old OR-93 was born close to Mt. Hood in northern Oregon. Its odyssey south showed his crossing at least 15 county lines.

“I’m devastated to learn of the death of this remarkable wolf, whose epic travels across California inspired the world,” Center for Biological Diversity senior wolf advocate Amaroq Weiss said.

“In this annual time of reflection, I thank him for the hope he gave us and for a brief glimpse into what it would be like for wolves to roam wild and free again. I only wish we’d been able to provide him with a safer world. California has to do so much more to preserve wildlife connectivity and protect animals like OR93 from car strikes.”

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