Concerns over red wolf (Canis rufus) extinction caused by hybridization with coyotes (C. latrans) led to the capture and removal of remnant wild wolves from southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas, United States, during the 1970s. Here we show that despite decades of unmitigated hybridization, and declaration of endangered red wolves as functionally extinct in the wild, red wolf mitochondrial or nuclear DNA ancestry persists in ∼55% of contemporary wild canids sampled in southwestern Louisiana. Surprisingly, one individual had 78–100% red wolf ancestry, which is within the range for 75% red wolf, red wolf backcross, or putative red wolf, depending on estimation method. Our findings bolster support for designation of red wolves as a distinct species, demonstrate a critical need for the United States Government to consider adopting an existing but unimplemented hybrid policy, and suggest that immediate reassessment of canid management and taxonomic designation in southwestern Louisiana may be warranted.

中文翻译：

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大量的红狼遗传血统在路易斯安那州西南部的野生犬科动物中持续存在

与土狼（C. latrans）杂交引起的红狼（Canis rufus）灭绝的担忧。）导致在1970年代从路易斯安那州西南部和美国得克萨斯州东南部捕获并清除了野狼。在这里，我们显示，尽管数十年来一直不遗余力地进行杂交，并且将濒临灭绝的红狼宣布为在野生环境中功能性灭绝，但在路易斯安那西南部采样的当代野生犬科动物中，约有55％的红狼线粒体或核DNA血统仍然存在。出乎意料的是，根据估计方法，一个人的红狼血统为78-100％，处于75％的红狼，红狼回交或推定的红狼范围之内。我们的发现为将红狼指定为不同物种提供了支持，表明美国政府迫切需要考虑采用现有但未实施的混合政策，