Gray Wolf From Oregon Makes Way To Northern California

(AP) - A gray wolf from Oregon has made its way into Northern California - possibly to mate - and conservationists say it's a hopeful sign of recovery for the endangered local population.

Wildlife officials say OR-25 - a 3-year-old male with a radio collar - was tracked Wednesday in northern Modoc County.

Amaroq Weiss at the Center for Biological Diversity says OR-25 may be seeking a mate or could be following the scent trail of other wolves who've come south. She says more wolves may follow.

A male, OR-7, visited California in 2011 but now leads an Oregon pack.

Wolves once roamed California but were exterminated by the 1920s. They're now protected. A pack of seven was spotted last year - the first confirmed pack in California in nearly a century.