While dogs and foxes share certain physical and behavioural traits, it was widely accepted that their genetic differences were too great for interbreeding.
That assumption was put to the test when a mysterious animal was brought to a veterinary clinic in Brazil after being struck by a car. The female creature confused the veterinary team; she exhibited traits of both dogs and foxes.
With her dark coat, sharply pointed ears, and a taste for live prey, she resembled a fox. Yet, her bark was similar to a dog and she enjoyed playing with toys. Though not as tame as a typical dog, she also wasn’t as fierce or wary as a wild fox. Due to this unusual mix, she was nicknamed a “dogxim.”
What happened to the dogxim?
Sadly, the animal passed away from unknown causes later that year. But after her death, genetic testing confirmed she was the world’s first recorded hybrid between a domestic dog and a fox. This phenomenon, called hybridization, occurs when two species mate and produce offspring with mixed genetic ancestry.
Scientists determined that her mother was a pampas fox, native to South America, and her father a domestic dog. It's important to note that pampas foxes are genetically distinct from red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), the species common in the UK – as 'false' foxes, they're more closely related to wolves and jackals.
Due to the large genetic distance between red foxes and domestic dogs, it's extremely unlikely that similar dog-fox hybrids could occur in places like Britain.
Nonetheless, the discovery raises important questions about the growing interactions between wild and domesticated animals and the impact this might have.
More wildlife stories around the UK – and the world
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