Dogxim, the world's first dog-fox hybrid which was rescued after a hit-and-run incident in Brazil in 2021, has died, Newsweek reported. The animal whose discovery astonished both wildlife enthusiasts and scientists reportedly died after she was shifted to a different facility post-recovery. The cause of death is yet to be ascertained.
Recollecting how they discovered the dogxim, researcher Cristina Araujo Matzenbacher told Newsweek, "For us biologists and veterinarians, it is normal to look at all animals differently. We're trained to look for what's common and what's different when we look at an animal. And that's what happened." She added that the animal had eyes resembling a domestic dog, and long ears resembling a pampas fox. "Although she had a dark coat and barked like a dog."
Fox/Dog Hybrid Discovered In BrazilScientists claim that this is the first time they have encountered such a cross-breed in the wild, and have named it dogxim.
The creature was brought to the experts after he was hit by a car in 2021.
RT pic.twitter.com/KkiAYWGRhA— Moh Musthafa Hussain (@musthafaaa) September 16, 2023
After its rescue due to the hit-and-run incident, the severely injured dogxim was taken to the veterinary hospital of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). From there she was later transferred to the Center for Conservation and Rehabilitation of Wild Animals.
Researchers observed that the dogxim didn't accept food usually offered to dogs. She was then given small rats which she ate without hesitation.
"Another behavior of the pampas fox was observed when she climbed the bush that was in the environment where she was kept," Matzenbacher told the publication. Commenting on the creature's death, she added, "So far, we do not know the cause of death of the dogxim. We would very much like to know what happened."
The dogxim's discovery has also prompted theories about other hybrids.
"So far, we have no scientific evidence that there are other hybrids in this region. However, we suspect that this case we have described is not the only one," researcher Bruna Szynwelski told Newsweek. "Once biologist Herbert Hasse Junior observed two animals with an unusual phenotype in nature in 2019, it is likely that one of these animals was the female hybrid that was run over in 2021, and the other animal was never seen again."
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