Wildlife officials have confirmed the first gray wolf in northern Arizona in more than 70 years.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman Jeff Humphrey said Friday that analysis of the animal’s scat shows it’s from the Northern Rockies population.

The wolf is believed to have traveled at least 450 miles into northern Arizona, where it’s been spotted at the Grand Canyon and the adjacent forest.

Wolves often roam vast distances in search of food and mates. Packs from the Northern Rockies had been found as far south as Wyoming.

The wolf has a radio collar, but it hadn’t been transmitting a signal. Biologists tried to capture it to replace the collar but suspended their efforts because of cold weather.

Biologists collected the animal’s scat earlier this month for testing.