Around 14 years ago, a lone gray wolf crossed the border from Oregon into California, marking the start of a slow return of the iconic, endangered predator to the Golden State, where it had been fully eradicated in the 1920s. Today, at least 50 wolves live in 10 packs across California.

But at the end of October, this resettlement, which scientists say can support healthy ecosystems, faced a major setback. Following an “unprecedented level of livestock attacks” across the Sierra Valley, California wildlife officials decided to euthanize four wolves from the pack that was mostly responsible for the killings. The decision came after months of intensive, mostly unsuccessful, non-lethal management efforts.

“This decision was not made lightly nor was it easy,” Charlton H. Bonham, the director

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