Nearly Half of Italy's Wolves Are Wolf-Dog Hybrids, Study Finds

A recent genetic analysis published in Biological Conservation reveals that 47% of wolves in Italy are wolf-dog hybrids, based on DNA samples from 748 wolves found dead between 2020 and 2024 and 26 from 1993 to 2003. The study, led by biologist Rita Lorenzini of Italy’s Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Lazio and Tuscany, found hybridization is most prevalent in central and southern regions, where free-ranging dogs are abundant. Paolo Ciucci of Sapienza University of Rome, a co-author, warns that this high rate threatens the species through "genetic swamping," potentially replacing the original wolf gene pool. Hybrids are difficult to identify visually; genetic testing remains the only reliable method. While northern Italy has fewer hybrids, Lorenzini notes that wolves can travel long distances, spreading hybridization. Luigi Boitani, chair of the IUCN’s Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe, who discovered the first known hybrid in the 1970s, has long warned about this issue. The study highlights that hybridization can alter wolf behavior, physiology, and ecological role. Astrid Vik Stronen of the University of Ljubljana agrees the risks outweigh benefits. Italy hosts about 3,300 of Europe’s 21,500 wolves.