Humankind’s expansion into the wild has all kinds of consequences. This process brings humans and wildlife into contact with each other, as well as domestic animals with the wild world. This is precisely one reason for the spread of new diseases, but also emergence of new hitherto unknown speciesIt results from hybridizations between native and wild ones. This is an example of what happened in Brazil, which researchers have documented. First known case of hybridization between a pampas fox and a domestic dog.
Two years ago, in 2021, a dog-like female was taken to the Wild Animal Conservation and Rehabilitation Center of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil after being hit by a car. But its completely unusual appearance surprised experts from the centre, who did not know whether they were looking at a dog or another wild-type canid. So the team decided to investigate the genetics of the sample to find out exactly what it was.
Exclusion of questionable species
There are four species of wild canids living in Rio Grande do Sul that may be responsible for this hybridization. One of these, the bush dog, is known to have a distribution area that does not overlap with the location of the passing female. This narrows the margin to three species: the maned wolf, the crab-eating fox and the pampas fox.
The first was discarded because it was the largest canid species in South America and also because its shape and size did not match the found specimen. The remaining two, the crab-eating fox and the pampas fox, looked quite similar, but both had grayer fur, while the animal found was deep black with some white fur.
The team analyzed the genetics of the hybridized individual and compared it to three possible canid species found in the area, as well as to domestic dogs and to interbreeding. They discovered that the roadkill individual had 76 chromosomes, domestic dogs had 78, and pampas foxes had 74 chromosomes.. Therefore, the IFLScience portal explains that hybridization between the two will produce an individual with 76 chromosomes.
After genetic analysis, the results revealed: The possible parents of the rescued female were a pampas fox and a pet dog, this would be a hybrid of both. The results show that the pampas fox’s mother is a domestic dog of unknown breed.
Scientists, pampas foxes (Lycalopex gymnocercus) belongs to the genus Lycalopex, which indicates: Reproduction between members of the genus is possible lycalopex And canis. pet dogs Canis familiars.
Conservationist Flávia Ferrari, who worked on the animal during its recovery, told British newspaper The Telegraph: “This was a magnificent animal, really a cross between a pampas fox and a dog.” “He had a shy and cautious personality and generally preferred to stay away from people. “During the time he was hospitalized for treatment, I think he became more confident.”
According to the Telegraph, the dog-fox hybrid made a full recovery at the center and was later moved to a conservation center called Mantenedouro São Braz in the city of Santa Maria. But, He died of unknown causes the same year.
The team says more work needs to be done to analyze the frequency of these hybridization events and its impact on wild pampas fox populations.
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Contact address of the environmental department:krisclimatica@prensaiberica.es
Source: Informacion
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