The mysterious and elusive creature dubbed “Gary the Wolf-Dog,” whose image was shared on social media from various people in Anchorage, died in October; the Alaska Department of Fish And Game has done a DNA test on the animal.
ADF&G collected samples and sent them to the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (VGL) at UC Davis for a wolf-dog hybridization test, “recognizing the curiosity of both the public and ADF&G biologists alike,” the department said.
“Due to the potential for broad variation in physical and behavioral traits in a hybridized animal, a determination cannot be made by observations alone. It is illegal to possess wolves or wolf hybrids in Alaska; how the animal ended up suddenly appearing on the streets of Anchorage, and where or how she lived her days until then, remains a mystery,” the department said. Evidently, Gary was a female.
“Results from the UC Davis lab returned this week and indicate that ‘Gary; tested positively as a wolf hybrid. The degree of hybridization, or percentage of wolf DNA, is not determined. The wolf-hybrid test consists of 3-4 types of assays and analyses and can detect hybrids within 3 generations.”
“Anchorage is home to many species of wildlife, but wolves are rarely seen. The behavior of this animal, including traveling across the city on main streets and sidewalks at all hours of the day and night in close proximity to people, would be extremely unusual for a wolf—most wild animals try to keep their distance. If you see an animal behaving unusually, personal safety is most important,” ADF&G said.
Police found the carcass of the animal on Oct. 7 alongside Minnesota Blvd. It weighed about 67 pounds at the time.
A wolf hybrid is produced by mating a domestic dog with a gray wolf, eastern wolf, red wolf, or other wolf. Statistics show that wolf hybrids are difficult to manage, are likely to be more dangerous and more prone to attacking both humans and other animals. Wolf hybrids hold the No. 6 spot for dog-bit fatalities by breed.