Ghost DNA from hybrid coyotes could save endangered red wolves

There is a person by the name ofJason Dinh.

The coyote-wolf hybrid in southwestern Louisiana has a genetic remnant of red wolves. When the last 14 red wolves were captured and bred in the 1970s, experts thought the genes were gone.

The red wolves are in danger of extinction. Only one population of captives was reintroduced to the wild in 1987. There were 120 individuals by 2012 but only 20 remain.

The wolves that have been rewilded are more susceptible to harmful genetic changes. The coyote-wolf hybrid might hold the key to survival.

"It's hard for me to be pessimistic, but I think it's good for me."

She and her colleagues were able to sequence the genomes of coyotes from southwestern Louisiana, where red wolves were last seen in the wild. The majority of the genomes came from red wolves.

The canine chimeras appear to be intermediates between the two species. She doesn't believe we should call it a coyote anymore. It might be a good idea to call it a wolf if it looks like one.

Read more: How the massive dogs bred to protect livestock could save wolves too

The wolves could be the key to saving the environment. She believes that when more red wolves are reintroduced to the wild, they should be near hybrid carriers. The genetic diversity of the pool could be increased by natural matings.

The researchers are trying to create biobanks of coyote cells that could be cloned into other animals. There is a chance that the biobank could be used to edit red wolf genes.

The University of Florida student who wasn't involved in the study says biobanking can save a species.

How we think about hybrid and conserve is challenged by the study. Ben Novak says that the US Fish and Wildlife Service doesn't have a policy on hybrid species. The red wolves might be the first to pioneer that.

The preservation of ghost genes from hybrid is a new concept. She says that it calls for the US Fish and Wildlife Service to act. She says that protecting the coyote-wolf hybrid is within the regulatory power of the government. I am not sure if people ever talked aboutConservation in this way.

The findings are being translated into policy by von Holdt. She says the future is bright, but there is a lot of work to be done.

Science Advances was published in the journal.

Wild Wild Life is a monthly newsletter that celebrates the diversity and science of animals and plants.