82LB Coyote

[Erica Summers]

So what does everyone think of this 82lb "Coyote"

[Peter Emberley]

I think it is an absolute monster COYZILLA. I can only wonder are there any bigger than this one?

[Erica Summers]

Personally as a Natural Resources graduate, I don't believe its a coyote! Coyote/wolf hybrid yes! Purebred coyote, No.

[Peter Emberley]

I agree, but I am told, all our coyotes are a hybrids.

[Erica Summers]

They are! Not so much with wolves, which is what gives this guy such a big stature. And no, the plentiful bunnies didn't help him grow to be this big lol

[Peter Emberley]

[Erica Summers]

All in all he's a beaut, really pumped to get the DNA results. Lol

[Peter Emberley]

Me to, can't wait.

[Fred Woodman]

he a big boy. Lotta dog to drag out

Im waiting on the DNA , looks more like a wolf than a coyote.

[Chris]

My professor, at mun, said that he believes it is a wolf. I'm not going to name the professor.

Also, the tell-tale characteristic of the historically extirpated Newfoundland wolf was a white coat with a black stripe down it's spine. This animal in the photographs has a black stripe down it's spine and a white coat. Maybe a pocket of wolves managed to survive or possibly mix with the coyotes on the island?

The coyotes on the island are of course mixed up with algonquin wolf, aka eastern red wolf. This guy does not look like a red wolf, he is clearly of the timber-aka grey variety.

My opinion, bottom line is this animal should not have been shot. If it is proven wolf, the hunter has demonstrated that he does not identify his targets before shooting. I hope legislation is enacted to protect whatever wolves are out there. They could fix the coyote problem along with the so called "moose crisis".

Posts on other predator forums are confirming that this is likely a wolf. DNA will tell the truth. Although I don't think there is a question here. Anyone who has seen a wolf and a coyote can distinguish between the two.

Many questions...if it is a wolf, are there others? Can protection be legislated? If it is a coyote-wolf hybrid, hopefully it spread it genes? Do we treat animals such as this differently from coyotes?

And lastly, I have to say that from reading the comments on news websites and listening to the radio, Newfoundlanders are truly stuck in the 1800s when it comes to attitudes towards coyotes and wolves. Regardless of the fact that coyotes have historically only killed two people in the history of north america, Newfoundlanders are convinced they are the bane of the earth. Wolves are also harmless.

[Grant]

I doubt the Newfoundland wolf could have survived all these years, especially when their main prey, the caribou, nearly disappeared in the 1950's. It is much more like if this is a wolf that it crossed the Strait of Bell Isle. The Strait has been jammed with ice for weeks, of course, it could have crossed at any time in the last few years or even earlier if a breeding population exists.

So you're saying he should have identified his target before shooting, yet, the identification requires a laboratory test. What if this animal turns out to be 75% wolf and 25% coyote? Is it still illegal to shoot? As I said, all coyotes on the island are at least part wolf.

[Erica Summers]

To identify his target, Like you said it requires a lab test. 

In my opinion there is no reason why wolves could have not crossed the straits, its 9kms from Blanc Sablon  to St Barbe. If coyotes came here of their own free will from Nova Scotia to Port Aux Basques I think theres definatley a chance that they could be here.

Why wouldnt they breed with coyotes, like you said our coyotes are part wolf also.

[Chris]

Interesting comment grant,

There was some debate similar to this surrounding the retention of brown-trout salmon hybrids on the avalon penn...do you classify it as a salmon or a trout?

In Ontario they classified the eastern red wolf as wolf...although it's DNA is just above 50% wolf, the rest is coyote,dog.etc.