California's only wolf family welcomes new pups

California's only known wolf pack has grown with the recent arrival of a new litter of pups, wildlife experts said. 

The Lassen wolf pack in Northern California had its fourth litter. This one includes eight pups, according to a release from the Center for Biological Diversity.

“We’re elated at the birth of the Lassen pack’s endearing pups, who are breathing new life into the Golden State’s wolf recovery,” said Amaroq Weiss, a senior West Coast wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, in the release. “These little ones give hope to everyone who wants to see wolves reestablished in the places these beautiful animals once called home.”

This litter is the pack's fourth in four years. With these new pups, the pack contains at least 14 animals, including the mother and father wolf, the new eight pups and four subadult wolves from the pack’s previous litters.

The father of the four male and four female wolf pups has been embraced into the family.

A male that breeded to produce earlier litters had disappeared last summer.

The Lassen pack is California’s second confirmed wolf pack in about 100 years.