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The Andean Wolf is a proposed and unrecognised canine from the Andes Mountains, Argentina.

Sightings[]

In 1927, German animal dealer, Lorenz Hagenbeck purchased a pelt of a supposed wild dog of the Andes from a dealer in Buenos Aires. There were three other identical pelts, with all pelts being similar to a maned wolf with thick dark fur. Hagenbeck sent the skin to Germany, where it was examined by several museums, until it reached Munich.

In 1940, Dr. Ingo Krumbiegel inspected the skin and claimed that it was a mountain species of the maned wolf. Years prior in 1935, Krumbiegel had examined a skull supposedly of a maned wolf but larger and had originated from the Andes (which is outside of the maned wolf's range). This gave him confidence that it was a new genus and gave it the scientific name of Dasycyon hagenbecki.

Explanation[]

With no other physical evidence of the Andean wolf, its status as an authentic species was being challenged. In 1954, Dr Fritz Dieterlen analysed hair from the pelt and compared it to hair from various canines. The results revealed the hair was significantly similar to German shepherd hair.

In 2000, an attempt was made to analyse DNA samples from the pelt. The results proved unsatisfactory because it had been contaminated with human, dog, wolf and pig DNA. The pelt had also been chemically treated. No additional investigations of the pelt have been made.

The Andean wolf pelt is likely to be from a domestic dog, possibly even a crossbreed of some sort.

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