Wolf-dog like animal wandering forests of northern Minnesota

This was one of the stranger observations we had this winter…a wolf-like, dog-like canid of sorts roaming the area. It sort of looks like a mix between a wolf and a malamute or something.
Our first two observations-Feb 29 and Mar 3- were of this animal and two actual adult wolves roaming around. But none of the wolves in this pack were part of a resident pack in our area (i.e., they were just a wandering group).
And the one sequence of all 3 shows just how different this canid’s appearance is from the wolves in our area (the other two wolves in that sequence are what mature adult wolves in our area generally look like).
We then had 10 observations of this animal by itself from March 11 to March 20 all across the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem so this animal was roaming substantially (and likely left the area as we had no observations of the animal after March 20).
Notably, we have never seen a “wolf" that looks like this but we suspect that either this canid is a wolf with some strange mutation that makes it super fluffy and extra large (seems unlikely but trying to think through the options)…or it is a wolf-dog hybrid.
Since we have seen no evidence that wolves are breeding with dogs in our area or heard of this occurring in northern Minnesota, we think it most likely-if it is indeed a hybrid-that the animal is a hybrid that was either released or escaped.
Of course, this is all speculation and your guess is as good as ours. Just trying to think of the most likely explanation.
Or perhaps this is the re-incarnation of London’s Buck from Call of the Wild:
“He was a killer, a thing that preyed, living on the things that lived, unaided, alone, by virtue of his own strength and prowess, surviving triumphantly in a hostile environment where only the strong survive…
...Deep in the forest a call was sounding, and as often as he heard this call, mysteriously thrilling and luring, he felt compelled to turn his back upon the fire and the beaten earth around it, and to plunge into the forest, and on and on, he knew not where or why; nor did he wonder where or why, the call sounding imperiously, deep in the forest.”-Jack London
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[@shannonoconnell95]

Oh definitely a wolf dog hybrid! He definitely carries himself more like a dog than a wolf 😆 He has a beautiful coat tho 😍

[@SilkySifaka89]

Well.. it’s hard to know for sure.

[@hankskorpio5857]

Hes got alil bobtail too it even curls upwards like a wild dog

[@jwwj30]

Beautiful animal, his coat is definitely darker & thicker compared to his 2 companions he’s running thru the forest with. Thanks for sharing & hope he finds a friend to roam with.

[@readytogo6569]

Beautiful❤️ Call of The Wild is my Favorite book and the quote gave me goose-bumps. Jack London and God got together and blessed us with a real Buck❣️

[@PMC47]

For sure. Maybe Buck was the sire of this beautiful beast. He must've been a crafty one.👍 Nothing like seeing them healthy and happy together in a pack. Great footage

[@MissyMuthaTruckiN]

read that book a lot as a small child, maybe I'm due for a re read 😊

[@JessG_20]

Buck wasn't a wolf dog, maybe you're thinking of Jack London's other book White Fang

[@EMKEN64]

Love the Jack London reference and quote.... what a beautiful spirit either way - such a beautiful wild thing.

[@fn-2187bb8]

I'm no expert, but I know a Very Good Boi when I see one.

[@Chieftain357]

Glad wolf dog found a pack.

[@carriemainquist757]

Iove to hear the foot prints as they prance along.

[@monolyn]

The vivid brown and prevalence of a darker back/side pattern really remind me of a GSD. Maybe a malamute x GSD x wolf hybrid?

[@neonice]

Definitely looks like this was someone's hybrid pet that they got rid off

[@RolloTonéBrownTown]

Shameful how irresponsible and uncaring people can be with animals. In this case, it is very triumphant to see this incredible animal running with the wolves!

[@Eira-m4o]

Also could be one of the wolves bred with a dog

[@bug3964]

Fits right in with the pack regardless of identity looks very healthy and glad he isn’t lonely or on its own!

[@basicbreakfast]

The ravens scene was great😆 great editing 💥

[@greathornedowl3644]

Thank you, beautiful scenery. Trail cams are the way animals should be observed, not locked in a cage. It was a strange-looking beast. Reminded me of the first time I saw a police dog that was a long-hair shepherd vs the regular Belgium Shepard

[@_Chessa_]

It’s Buck from Call of the Wild!! This is how I imagined him! Big fluffy burly and wolf like! I love these amazing shots! Just wow! And he has a pack! I wonder if he acts more “Aloof” than the others and that confidence makes him well loved by the other wolves whom are timid and shy and more hyper vigilant. Imagine hugging a big wolf doggy like this too! I’ve done it before and it was like a big bear hug from the fluff on the neck!

[@numanoidnumanic7571]

Thanks for this video! Gorgeous wolves 🐺❤🐺 Love from The Netherlands

[@FPVsean]

That's one gorgeous looking canine!

[@alanackermann7799]

Looks like he's been eating well. Beautiful animal!

[@giedragoeswild]

He really has Malamute`s blood! Interesting observations!

[@vikingjerome2438]

Thanks for brilliant filming what a magnificent animal

[@MrBlackbutang]

Blessings to the wonderful wildlife of Minnesota ❤❤❤❤❤ born free run free ❤❤❤❤❤

[@wygolvillage2637]

What a fascinating creature! The reddish coat is so pretty.

[@rebelrider3361]

Considering this thing is running with wolves, I'm thinking it was likely born in the wild. (I imagine that a tame hybrid wouldn't last long in the wild or be able to join a wild pack.)

[@bluevictory1010]

Aww, he's a beautiful and handsome boy! 😍❤

[@robbabcock_]

Whatever the genetic mix that's a beautiful animal! 🥰🐺🙌

[@slate2720]

Could be a released/escaped pet, or a feral dog and a lonely wolf made pups and at least one made it. Many wolves in the wild have dog in their bloodline, maybe not recently.

[@不幸屋の娘-o6l]

This animal is so cute ❤

[@Mary_Beth_Reimer]

Wirh that tail, fur, and coloration he reminds me of a chow chow!

[@aky19832001]

High content wolf dog, that someone released into the woods cause they couldn't handle it. Seems to be doing just well.

[@rosenia5409]

As Agnes would say in movie “Despicable me” - ITS SO FLUFFY 😂❤

[@JudithHirsch-n4r]

He is gorgeous ❣️

[@Pearleace]

one of them wolves bumped into a malamute when they were in heat. then she got this one. very gorgeous~ ♥

[@paolopoggesi9754]

Lupi animali fantastici !

[@johnkossen4821]

Would this be an animal that you try to collar, track and get DNA or anything else to study? Beautiful animal

[@FASTRACKFARM]

Looks like a cross bred to me. A little surprising, but not unheard of.

[@tacitusromanus8239]

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing. Maybe it's a wolf dog.

[@skypaver989]

ITS SO FLUFFY

[@rosenia5409]

As Agnes would say in movie “Despicable me” - ITS SO FLUFFY 😂❤

[@SubparPanda]

Crazy sighting! He moves like a dog it's so interesting to see, yet hes wolf enough to get a pass from his wild cousins

[@TheMonkdad]

So beautiful...unless you're playing Days Gone.

[@aarshluke]

wolf hybrid looking majestic xD

[@ianspingle8865]

Definitely some kind of dog in there, wonder how many wolf dogs are running around out there 🐺🐶

[@wayne-oo]

With the pointed nose I’d say a wolf / coyote hybrid !

[@kichipoppi140]

Could potentially be a wolf-dog hybrid? Coat looks very much like a Malamute’s or Samoyed’s in terms of the fluff and the fluff shape.

[@neonice]

Yeah, someone got tired of having a wild animal

[@paulthisone]

Possibly wolf dog hybrid ( heavy on the wolf side) but husky or malamute can have very plush coat so that could explain I’d fuzzier look

[@SilkySifaka89]

The people who posted this video thought it could be that. There are also some other possibilities. The description of the video has good info.

[@boxbackknitties]

Wow nice catch on ye olde video camera.

[@rosamariabanares4748]

¡Mis hermanos los lobos¡

[@noralenz376]

Wow, so this pack has taken him in? Isn't that kind of rare, especially if he's a hybrid bred by humans?

[@wolff_1]

Really does look like a wolfdog or a wolfy looking dog and not a mutation in pure wolves wolves. My question is, how likely are pure wild wolves to accept a wolfdog or even just a wolf like dog amongst them. Would they be able to tell them apart if a wolfdog has enough wolf content and acts similar? Perhaps this wolf like dog or wolfdog in this video has been in the wild since only being several months old and that made it able to join some wolves, maybe met a lone wolf first who might have been quite accepting?

[@awkonradi]

He/she needs a name. I propose "Jack", as a tribute to Jack London.

[@MrBlackbutang]

German Shepard mix ❤

[@deanhoward4128]

COYWOLF- a hybrid of coyotes & wolves! Not a mystery!

[@mariaragnarsson8459]

Loos like a Alaskan Malamut...

[@StarFireForestSpirit]

Looks like a German Shepherd Wolfdog to me.

[@TobiasUnterweger]

Cool Video cool KZbin 🐺👍🏻

[@ghjgjlmhjkjk]

Isn't it more likely a coyote-wolf hybrid? For example, Eastern coyotes are a hybrid of wolf and coyote. Take a look at the photo here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_coyote

[@garden_creature]

That's definitely Buck

[@Maria-ni4rc]

It's a hybrid...

[@Caliber-R]

No way😳😳 Thats kind of cool but also look quite out of place.

[@LidaDuplessis-g6s]

Wonderfully 😂😂

[@ManoloAsole]

Il lupo dell As Roma 1927 numero 1😅

[@aowi7280]

Legs aren't long enough.

[@abbswinston4258]

I would’ve mistaken it for a shepherd and tried to pet it and find it’s owners 😂

[@LorettaGallagher-gv1zx]

Handsome

[@PaulSkuta]

Far scarier human-like animals wandering the forests of northern Minnesota.

[@DireConsenquences]

I'd say Wolf x German Shepherd mix? from the coat patterns.

[@Dinoman9877]

Here's my thing; wolves typically travel with relatives, correct? It's rare for two random dispersed wolves to meet up and decide to wander around together unless it's courting to found a new pack? If this is indeed a wolf-dog that is a released or escaped captive, not only would it be incredibly unlikely to survive as it would have no learned skills to capture prey, but then it would ALSO have to meet up with two unrelated wolves and ingratiate itself into the group or otherwise court them. That's already basically impossible just by virtue of inability to feed itself. But then if it WERE wild born, from where? And how? Are the other two wolves its relatives, and if so should they not show signs of the same? Since they aren't showing those signs, has it instead successfully courted somehow? The circumstances leading to this animal existing in the wild and grouping up with two other, seemingly non-hybrid wolves, are basically nonexistent, and yet there it is.

[@SilkySifaka89]

Yeah. I have the same thought process. Maybe it could be a mutation of some sort. The description of this video says that’s a possibility.

[@heidilady]

When I lived in NM coyotes used to steal females all the time. They were not picky about breed.

[@stephgreen3070]

Like a Husky or Malamute in disguise.

[@RichardRunnar-s6u]

Most-likley a wolf hybrid, however, intense inbreeding causes mutations... just look at the pedigrees of developed and developing breeds of purebred dogs and cats.

[@conniewolf7300]

Looks like he has joined the wolves! If he was dog they would kill him!

[@heidilady]

Wolf dog? Coy-dog? Coy-wolf?

[@iberianwildlife]

Magníficos ejemplares 🐺

[@dennis56]

A brown eyed wolf ??

[@AdventureswithLycanmyGSD]

Reminds me of a Malamute Husky. Perhaps a hybrid of wolf and Malamute? Is catching him and doing a DNA test on him an option?

[@asgo7320]

Wolf dog.

[@WolfgangDrEpple]

Even genetically pure dogs can sometimes become established in a wolf pack. This very strong animal doesn't look like a hybrid, more like a pure dog.

[@NOVA-LIES-WOLF]

Looking at its coat and tail it is most certainly some amount of wolf in it, probably 50% wolf possible one of it's parents is a wolf and the other looks like it could be a Malamute

[@cozmicdoodles7167]

​@NOVA-LIES-WOLF honestly his coat is the exact thing that makes him look LESS like a wolf imo. same with his stature. Hard to tell but I don't believe either direct parent was a wolf.

[@williamjkirwan5414]

His legs look more dog

[@frickfrickkin1723]

Could it be a wolf from a different area where they have longer fur? I know they can travel miles to find new territory. The way it trots seems wolflike to me, placing paws in front of eachother, but the coat is very unique... I'd be curious if it kept the thickness even in summer. The tail's curl to the right is also kinda dog-like. Is that something you see in wolves normally?

[@NOVA-LIES-WOLF]

Nope, full wolves tails don't really curl like that, wolf hybrids on the other hand do, this animal definitely looks like it could be a 50% wolf dog. From the shape of its fur and it's snout it looks like it could be part Malamute

[@ROFLobster4884]

Buck!

[@imeekamland660]

❤❤❤I want to hug and kiss them. How can I hug them?❤❤❤

[@imeekamland660]

😊😘😘😘❤❤❤❤❤

[@eyesup9542]

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

[@dustinfisher29]

Might have some Collie or Chow Chow in his ancestry

[@flyingpuma9729]

Thats a problem. Wolfdogs shouldnt breed with wolves.