Answer: A really cool hybrid (above).
In 2021, someone brought a “dog” to a rehabilitation center in Vacaria, Brazil that had been injured by a car. However, upon further examination, they discovered she wasn’t a dog. She also preferred to eat rats over boring dog food.
Disruptions of natural habitats in South America have led to increasing interactions between wild canids and domestic dogs. In this case, scientists discovered the interaction led to the creation of a hybrid between a Pampas fox and a domestic dog. This is the first report of such a hybrid occurring in South America and possibly the first documented case between these species. Researchers worry that, if this becomes more common, the transfer of genetic material and possibly diseases between the species could be harmful to the Pampas fox population.
Sources:
BE Szynwelski, R Kretschmer, CA Matzenbacher, F Ferrari, MM Alievi, TR Ochotorena de Freitas. Hybridization in canids – A case study of Pampas fox (Lycalopex gymnocercus) and domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) hybrid. Animals. 13(15): 2505, 2023.
Categories: Newly Discovered Species, Pets, Reproduction and Development, Urbanization
Life Lines by Dr. Dolittle 
