Biology

Hybrids (from extinction of the population to genetic extinction)

A phenomenon emerging in recent years, with demographic recovery and the expansion of wolf range, is hybridization between dogs and wolves.

The mechanisms by which this occurs are still being studied, but it has been noted that such crosses are more frequent in newly colonized areas with low wolf density or high density or roaming dogs, and are primarily due to the presence of female wolves in estrus in an area where there are no female wolves but roaming dogs.
The genetic makeup of dogs and wolves is similar enough to allow them to mate and produce fertile offspring, but different enough to distinguish between them.

Canine and wolf sequences are found in the DNA of hybrids. Even if the hybrids then crossbreed with wolves, some typical dog sequences are passed down to subsequent generations and remain in the genetic makeup of the wolf population in which these crosses occurred.
If these crossbreeds were to occur frequently over time, it would lead to the so-called “genetic extinction” of the wolf.
That is, the entire wolf population in the area wpuld no longer be the expression of a genetic heritage èerfectly shaped and selected by nature over thousands of years, but something different.
The long-term effects of hybridization are not yet known, but they cpuld involve various aspects of wolf biology as well as its morphology. On the other han, hybrids do ot behave differently towards humans than wolves; they are neither more aggressive nor more confident, but they live in packs loke wolves and with the same distrust of humans.

From a regulatory standpoint, hybrids also create difficulties because there is no clear regulation regarding them, and although CITES protects hybrids up to the fourth generation like wolves, there are no technical means to discriminate which generation each hybrid belongs to, except for the F1, the first-generation hybrid.
This creates difficulties in enforcing regulations that, among other things, prohibit the private ownership of wolves and wolf hybrids.

There is still no agreement even among wolf researchers on how to manage hybrids: wheter to remove them completely from the landscape or sterilize them and reintroduce them to the wildlife, solution proposed in various LIFE projects, such as Life MIRCO and Life IBRIWOLF. What is certain is that if prompt action is not taken, we will soon lose a unique genetic entity: the Italian wolf.

History

Wolves and dogs in Italy

In Italy, dogs are the most beloved pet. In 2019 alone, it was estimated that out of 12 milion pets registered with the National Veterinary Service, 11 milion were dogs, 500,000 cats, and 1,699 ferrets.
The number of animals is certainly much higherm considering that unfortunately, many are not oroerly registered.
Health report estimated that there were between 500,000 and 700,000 stray dogs,
According to a 2017 LAV report, approximately 130,000 dogs were housed in shelters. Given such impressive numbers, an Italian wolf population estimated at around 3,300 individuals appears extremely small!
Among these, dogs that may come into contact with wolves are so-called stray dogs, which include at least three categories of dogs. Stray dogs without an owner, runaways, or abandoned, living on the margins of human society; owner-owned dogs left free to roam the land (such as sheepdogs, but also dogs whose owners routibely let loose, for example, at night); and finally, feral dogs, who have lost contact with humans, but who are probably the least numerous.
All these stray dogs compete withj wolves for space, food, and even reproduction. They can damage domestic livestock with impunity, while the damage is blamed on the wolf, creating discontent and desire for revenge on the part of farmers against the wild predator. They can also transmit diseases to wild canine populations. Finally, dogs can mate with wolves, giving rise to generations of hybrids.

This generally occurs in areas peripheral to the wolf’s range, but recent studies have highlighted that a high percentage of wolf hibrids exist even within protected areas.
In the Tyscan-Emilian Apennines, studies conducted between 2915 and 2916 as part of the M.I.R.C.O. Lupo Project (whose clear motto is “the wolf does not deserve a dog’s life and the dog does not deserve a wolf’ life”) estimated that 20% of the wolves present in that area were hybrids; other studies conducted in the Maiella National Park and the Gran Sasso National Park found comparable percentages.<(h4>

Some stories are very significant: the male wolf pack that had been living for several years on the Roman coast in the Castel di Guido Oasis was replaced by a dark hybrid male, called Nerone (foto di Valerio Vanini), who produced hybrid offspring. In such cases, timely intervention is needed, possibly sterilizing the hybrids before they produce hybrid offspring.

Overall, the figure is higher than expected, and the problem is of considerable concern to researchers.
In the Alps. however, the presence of hybrids has not yet been recorded. Unfortunately, there are currently no recent studies on the extent of th ephenomenon of vagrant wolf migration, and insufficient action by the relevant authorities (municipalities, regions and the state) to contain the phenomenon and protect the Italian wolf from hybridization and, consequently, genetic extinction.

Curiosity

The first hybrid caught in Italy