About the Project
After a 100-year absence, the gray wolf has naturally recolonized California. Wolf numbers have grown quickly since the first litter of pups was born in 2015, and over the next 5 years, we expect the population to double in size to over 150 wolves – with accelerating range expansion. The return of wolves is an exciting opportunity for ecological restoration. Yet, California’s landscapes and its rural, agricultural communities were not prepared to host a new apex predator. No other state with wolves shares California’s challenging combination of dense human populations, limiting native prey like elk and deer, and widespread cattle grazing across shared landscapes. The rapid growth of this ecological and cultural keystone species has prompted urgent questions, pressures, and conflicts.
In response, the California Wolf Project (CAWP) is an initiative launched within University of California Berkeley’s Wildlife Program uniting a broad range of experts and engaged stakeholders to advance science-based conservation solutions. It leverages the technical expertise of the Schmidt Center for Data Science and the Environment, the convening and policy capabilities of the Stone Center for Environmental Stewardship, and the unique strengths of several other state universities and conservation organizations. The official launch of CAWP in June of 2024 formalized a new, long term partnership with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to develop innovative research approaches while simultaneously helping to support the day-to-day management of a growing wolf population. With additional support from the National Geographic Society, the project has assembled a multidisciplinary team of scientists, wildlife managers, and conservation storytellers.
Research Objectives
Our initial efforts are focused on establishing crucial research baselines for wolf ecology and wolf-human interactions across Northern California. We collect a variety of data and programatic information on seven major research objectives. For more information, check out our 2025 Annual Report.
- Wolf home range and habitat use
- Prey, scavenging, and diet analysis
- Wolf occupancy predictions
- Ungulate resource selection, habitat use, and habitat quality
- Native ungulate and carnivore densities within wolf areas
- Livestock depredation patterns
- Evaluation of conflict reduction and compensation programs
Communications
We use a variety of communications methods, both digital and print, to keep stakeholders informed on the latest research findings and project updates.
Outreach
Community engagement and stakeholder outreach is a way for our team to meet face-to-face with those living and working in wolf areas; further developing our relationships and partnerships on the ground.
Storytelling
We use photography and film to document the unique evolution of wolf recovery in California; sharing stories of diverse perspectives on a shared landscape.
Meet the Team
Dr. Arthur Middleton
Principal Investigator
Arthur Middleton is the Goertz Professor of Wildlife Management in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at UC Berkeley, where he also serves as faculty co-director of the James and Cathleen Stone Center for Environmental Stewardship. His research group focuses on the behavioral and population ecology of wide-ranging wildlife, with emphasis on habitat conservation and human-wildlife conflict solutions. Professor Middleton has advised government agencies and contributed to public understanding through major publications like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and National Geographic.
Dr. Justin Brashares
Principal Investigator
Justin Brashares’ research in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management at UC Berkeley combines traditional ecology with interdisciplinary science to study how human activities are rapidly changing oceans, forests and savannas, and to highlight and communicate the everyday consequences of these changes for nature and society. Through these efforts, their work combines biodiversity conservation with economics, anthropology, public health, nutrition, environmental justice and journalism.
Dr. Kaggie Orrick
Project Director
Kaggie is a PhD graduate of the Yale School of the Environment and worked in the Schmitz lab and with the Dove lab. She is also a conservation associate and board member of Round River Conservation Studies. Her research examines the human-wildlife interface in social-ecological landscapes. Kaggie bridges ecological and social science theories in the hopes to advance conservation science.
Dr. Matthew Hyde
Postdoctoral Researcher
Matt specializes in large carnivore ecology and human–carnivore conflict across the Americas, combining spatial and behavioral ecology with conservation psychology to test nonlethal mitigation strategies, assess impacts on livelihoods, and co‑produce solutions with ranchers and wildlife managers. Wildlife Conservation at Berkeley Matt earned his PhD in Ecology from Colorado State University and previously held research roles focused on predator–livestock interactions, biodiversity, and landscape ecology.
Dr. Mauriel Rodriguez Curras
Postdoctoral Researcher
Mauriel earned his PhD in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, focusing on carnivore community interactions and how human activity influences species coexistence. Mauriel’s research combines field, laboratory, and analytical approaches to examine the effects of non‑consumptive recreation, changing land use, human food subsidies, and carnivore reintroductions on community dynamics. One of his notable studies assessed how reintroduced wolves affected foxes and martens on Isle Royale, revealing strong but transient cascading effects influenced by human presence.
Christina Winters
Field Lead & Masters Student
Christina is a wildlife biologist and Masters student studying wolf ecology and conservation on working lands in California in the Middleton and Brashares lab at UC Berkeley. Prior to joining CAWP, Christina worked with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) on large carnivores and mesocarnivores since 2021, and was engaged on a wide range of projects around the state. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Gonzaga University, and gained a wide range of experience as a whitewater raft guide, camera trapping for jaguars in Belize and Panama, and studying fisher movement in California.
Catie Castagnet
Field Coordinator
Catie joined CAWP in 2025 after graduating with a Master’s degree in Aquatic, Wildlife, and Wildlands Management from Texas Tech University. Her research at Texas Tech compared detection decay and detection efficacy of camera traps and acoustic recorders to detect Mexican gray wolves in Arizona and New Mexico. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Conservation from Colorado State University, she spent time working for the U.S. Forest Service and Idaho Fish and Game monitoring wildlife across Montana and Idaho. Over the years, she has gained experience tracking mesocarnivores, monitoring deer health, and camera trapping for wolves.
Malia Byrtus
Communications Specialist & Storytelling Lead
Malia has deep commitment to community‑driven conservation while using narrative and visual storytelling to connect people with wildlife and each other. She holds a Master of Professional Science degree in Exploration Science from the University of Miami. Before joining CAWP, Malia served as a wildlife camera trapper, producer, and impact campaign support for the Emmy award-winning film from National Geographic Path of the Panther; as part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor conservation campaign.
Axel Hunnicutt
CDFW Statewide Gray Wolf Coordinator
Axel is a wildlife ecologist, manager, and the State Gray Wolf Coordinator for the California Department of Fish & Wildlife. He leads California’s efforts in gray wolf conservation management, recovery planning, and research, and serves as the agency’s lead partner in CAWP.
Our Partners
Special Thanks
This work would not be possible without a large group of dedicated technicians, researchers, agency partners, and livestock producers. We would especially like to highlight the collaboration and engagement with Axel Hunnicutt and Pete Figura from CDFW, members of the California Cattlemen’s Association, the Siskiyou County Wolf Liaison Patrick Griffin, and UC Cooperative Extension Livestock Resource Advisors – particularly David Lile, Grace Woodmansee, Laura Snell and Tracy Schror.
The project team includes a mix of current and former team members and collaborators across media, field operations, and academic research including: Vishal Subramanyan in media; Joe Schuon and Kathy Whyte as field technicians; and Jenny Green, a PhD associate former technician at the University of British Columbia. The undergraduate research team currently includes Mia Yannoni, Michaela Baak, Rachel Sutin, Payton Zolck and Penelope Nelson from the University of California, Berkeley; and Callixta Cahyaningrum, Eric Lee, Mahshid Heydarirad, Peach Trippell, Sarah Sun, and Thomas Burger from the University of British Columbia. Volunteers include Hannah Thomas.
Former team members include field technicians Raquel Elander, Monica Wheeler, Nathan Davis, Michael Jensen, Erika Zimmermann, and Kelli Hatch, Victoria Childress, who served as a cluster search field technician through Feather River College, as well as former UC Berkeley undergraduate researchers Mayra Kwasnikow, Kiani Baetsle, and Grace Comerford. Dara Noonan is a Rangeland Management master’s student at UC Berkeley who we collaborated with for Task 6, along with her advisor Dr. Lynn Huntsinger.
