Frontpage » News » News 2009

Existence of wolf-dog hybrids proven in Estonia for the first time

In winter 2008; 8 wolves were hunted in Taebla, Lääne County, and six of the young specimen raised the doubts of local hunters as to whether they really were real wolves. "The coloration of two animals were light yellow, which is atypical for wolves, another four animals were, on the contrary, too dark," Peep Männil, Head of the Department of Game Monitoring of the Centre of Forest Protection and Silviculture, explained the hunters' doubts. "However, two older animals hunted from the same pack were definitely wolves."

 

University of Tartu Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences Department of Zoology working group conducted DNA analysis of the animals' muscle samples and established that they really were hybrids of wolf and dog. "The result of the DNA analysis meant that a case of wolf-dog cross-breeding was confirmed in Estonia for the first time," Peep Männil said. "It is not common, but it has been observed in many parts of the world. In general, hybrids do not occur in places where the wolf habitat is strong. If they do occur, they usually lose to wolves in their struggle for survival."

 

The last wolf-dog cross-breed litter close to Estonia was found in Northern Latvia in 1999. Wolf-dog hybrids have not been observed to be bolder or more aggressive in their behaviour with respect to humans.

 

Additional information:
Urmas Saarma, senior research fellow of zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, 737 5099

(15/05/2009)