Wild Dogxim: First Dog-Fox Hybrid Discovered in Brazil

(Photo : LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)
Scientists discovered the world's first recorded instance of a dog-fox hybrid in Brazil after the animal was taken to the vet to be treated following being hit by a car.

The first dog-fox hybrid in the world, known as a dogxim, was discovered in Brazil after the animal was taken to the veterinarian for treatment due to being struck by a car.

The creature was first found in 2021, but the staff that treated it could not determine if the young female animal was a dog or a fox. Later, scientists from local universities performed extensive genetic tests and decided that the animal was half-and-half, where her mother was a pampas fox, and her father was a domestic dog.

World's First Recorded Dog-Fox Hybrid

They then observed that the hybrid had an unusual mix of dog and fox characteristics: large pointy ears, thick, wiry fur, and a long, thin snout. While the dogs were initially very wary of humans, she later warmed up to them and even allowed them to pet her at some point.

The staff also had difficulty feeding her because she refused food and only ate live rodents. As per the Daily Mail, the hybrid barked like a dog and sometimes played with toys but still moved like a fox would.

Earlier this year, the unusual dog-fox hybrid perished from unknown causes, but scientists argued that she could have been able to reproduce if she lived longer. A conservationist who worked with the animal during her recovery, Flavia Ferrari, said that the hybrid was a fantastic animal.

She noted that while the creature was not as docile as a dog, she also did not have the usual aggressiveness expected of a wild canid when handled by humans. Ferrari said the creature had a shy and cautious personality as she preferred to stay away from humans.

But over the time she was hospitalized for treatment, Ferrari said that she believes the animal started to feel safer among her human companions. The dog is thought to be the first recorded instance of a dog and a fox breeding.

Unusual Hybridization

The animal was called "graxorra" by carers and researchers as the first part is a portmanteau of "grax," from graxaim-do-campo, the Portuguese common name for the pampas fox. The "orra" came from "cachorra," which means female dog in the Portuguese language, according to the Telegraph.

During its captivity, granola was neutered as part of her treatment, so scientists are not entirely sure if she would have been able to reproduce. Scientists who analyzed the animal's genes found 76 chromosomes. The maned wolf is the only other canid with this amount of chromosomes.

The finding comes as dogs have 78 chromosomes, and pampas foxes have 74 chromosomes. Hybridizing the two creatures would result in an animal having 76 chromosomes. The team that studied graxorra said that no other interspecies could produce the dogxim's karyotype.

As the scientists continued to conduct further research into the dogs, it was crucial to approach the topic with careful consideration and respect for both the animal's welfare and the conservation of biodiversity, said Motor Mouth Arabia.