Largest initiative in the nonprofit’s 50-year history will expand conservation programs, strengthen efforts to foster coexistence between people and native predators
JULIAN, Calif. – The California Wolf Center has announced the launch of Guardians of the Wild, a $3 million capital campaign to create a next-generation conservation and education campus dedicated to wolves and other native apex predator species in California.
Guardians of the Wild is the largest campaign in the California Wolf Center’s nearly 50-year history, building on the organization’s long-standing leadership in wolf conservation. The initiative will dramatically expand the organization’s ability to care for wildlife, support conservation efforts, educate the public, and create a sustainable future in which wolves and people share a healthy ecosystem.
The new 28-acre campus is planned for a site close to its existing Conservation Center in the mountain community of Julian in San Diego County. The nearly $2 million property, known as Mariposa Ranch, was secured with the generous support of community donors. Now, Guardians of the Wild will build on that investment, providing the resources needed to develop the property into a visionary new home that will expand the California Wolf Center’s impact for generations to come.
A Historic Moment for Conservation
The campaign comes at a pivotal moment for wildlife conservation in California. After nearly a century of absence, wolves are once again returning to the state’s landscapes. This represents an important conservation milestone, while also creating an urgent need for greater public understanding, education and effective strategies for coexistence. Habitat fragmentation, climate pressures and human-wildlife conflict continue to threaten wolves and other native predators and pose challenges for the people that share the landscapes with them
“After nearly 50 years of working to protect wolves and build understanding around them, we have an opportunity to think bigger about what conservation can look like,” said Executive Director Christine Barton. “Guardians of the Wild allows us to bring more people into our work – to experience these animals up-close, understand their vital role in ecosystems, and see why their future matters to all of us. It also gives us a powerful way to share what conservation and co-existence can achieve, including the remarkable progress being made to secure a future for the critically endangered Mexican gray wolf.”
Where Conservation Comes to Life
At the heart of Guardians of the Wild is a new conservation and education facility designed to create meaningful connections between people and wildlife while demonstrating the vital role apex predators play in healthy ecosystems.
Plans for the new campus include a state-of-the-art Visitor & Education Center, expansive nature-based wolf habitats and world-class medical and wildlife care facilities. Together, these spaces will prioritize animal welfare while creating immersive opportunities for visitors to learn about wolves, conservation and the ecological importance of apex predators.
For the first time in the California Wolf Center’s history, its educational mission will also broaden to feature other native California predators, including mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes and foxes. Through dynamic habitats and educational experiences, visitors will be able to explore the interconnected roles these species play in maintaining biodiversity and healthy, resilient ecosystems.
“Protecting wolves ultimately means protecting entire ecosystems,” said Matt Anderson, Resource Development Lead for Guardians of the Wild. “Through this campaign, we are creating a place where conservation comes to life and where people can connect with the extraordinary wildlife that shapes our wild landscapes. By sharing the story of the Mexican gray wolf and other native predators, we hope to inspire a deeper commitment to conservation and coexistence.”
Building on Five Decades of Wolf Conservation
For nearly 50 years, the California Wolf Center has worked to advance wolf conservation and build public understanding of wolves and their role in maintaining native biodiversity.
The California Wolf Center is one of the largest participants in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) Mexican Wolf program, part of a decades-long conservation effort that has helped grow the population from just seven founding wolves to nearly 700 across wild and managed populations in the U.S. and Mexico. While the Mexican gray wolf remains endangered, its remarkable progress represents one of North America’s most compelling wildlife conservation stories, as partners continue working to strengthen genetic diversity, support wild populations and foster long-term coexistence.
Through Guardians of the Wild, the California Wolf Center builds upon that legacy by giving visitors a closer connection to real-world conservation and species recovery efforts while demonstrating how science, collaboration, and public engagement work together to ensure the future of imperiled species.
The new campus will significantly expand opportunities for the organization to serve families, schools, researchers and community groups. The existing California Wolf Center site will continue to support the organization’s mission, transitioning to non-public conservation activities and off-exhibit animal habitats.
An Invitation to Become a Guardian of the Wild
The approximately $3 million campaign is seeking philanthropic leadership partners as well as support from the broader community, giving donors at every level an opportunity to create a lasting conservation legacy.
The California Wolf Center sees Guardians of the Wild as more than a capital campaign, but as an investment in California’s wild spaces, native predators and the people who will help protect them for generations to come.
To learn more about Guardians of the Wild, support the campaign or explore giving opportunities, visit californiawolfcenter.org/guardians-of-the-wild.
About the California Wolf Center
The California Wolf Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to foster coexistence among wolves, livestock and people through conservation, education and stewardship since 1977. The one-of-a-kind facility in Julian, Calif. (San Diego County) is home to Mexican gray wolves and Northwestern gray wolves. More information is available at www.californiawolfcenter.org.
