Experts say the endangered animals have a natural inclination to roam and the female wolf's journey illustrates the species can thrive outside designated boundaries in New Mexico and Arizona.
Gray wolves used to roam most of North America before being hunted, trapped and driven out of most of the continental U.S. by the early 1900s. They are native to California.
The ruling by a U.S. district judge puts a spotlight on a species whose recovery from near-extinction has been heralded as a historic conservation success.
The animals, including an entire wolf pack, were found poisoned earlier this year. "All investigative leads have been exhausted," says Oregon State Police Capt. Stephanie Bigman.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is removing federal protections for gray wolves in the contiguous U.S., saying the species' recovery is a success. Wildlife groups are promising to sue.
In November, Coloradans are set to vote on whether to return wolves to the state. The ballot initiative may be the first time voters in any state could force reintroduction of an endangered species.
Some wolf puppies will unexpectedly play "fetch," researchers say, showing that an urge to retrieve a ball might be an ancient wolf trait and not a result of dog domestication.
Researchers in northern Minnesota have discovered that wolves have a much more varied diet than previously thought. They hunt deer, but also eat fish, beaver and blueberries.