In 2008, a photographer began to investigate an encounter a wild coyote had with his dog. Something seemed off about the coyote that would eventually take his dog’s life. It was red- something he thought was characteristic of a hybrid of sorts. Years later, he would be partially correct in his suspicions.

Scientists have particular interest in the coyotes found on Galveston Island, TX. After extensive research, some of the coyotes in the study shared over 50% of DNA with the critically endangered red wolf (Canis rufus) (Barnes et al. 2022). When the results were published, the public quickly adopted the name ‘ghost wolves’ to represent the past presence of red wolves on the island. These animals persist as the poster-child of hybridization; an incredible sight to witness.