North American "Dog-Stealing" Wolf

"We had a strange animal called shunka warak’in that snuck into camps at night and stole dogs. It was said to look something like a hyena and cried like a person when they killed it. Its skin is said to be kept by someone still."

www.cryptomundo.com...

The Shunka Warak'in reminds me of the chupacabra. It seems to be a cryptid that is on the brink of discovery, and a few specimens may have already been discovered. Reportedly, one is being studied currently.

It was there on the Hutchins Ranch, where they encountered an unusual animal. The animal bothered the ranchers’ animals and looked very odd. They compared it to a hyena, with low back quarters....

The mounted animal ended up in a combination grocery and museum owned by a man named Sherwood at Henry Lake, Idaho, where it stayed for years. Sherwood called it ringdocus.

The number of livestock the "Creature" killed finally reached about 120, by the end of October 2006.

Predator might not be wolf

www.casperstartribune.net...

The orangish coat may be more indicative of wolves that roam the upper Great Lakes region, Sime said.

The animal also had long claws and teeth in good condition, somewhat unusual for a 4-year-old wolf, raising the possibility it might be a hybrid that had spent some time in captivity, Sime said.

On the other hand, the wolf was fairly large at 106 pounds with a big head and hunting skills, which may suggest it was wild, Sime said.

A Montana Wolf Mystery & the Fury it Breeds

www.newwest.net...

It leaves a track like a small wolf, or a dog, or a wolf-hybrid, but its killing habits are inefficient, nothing like the surgical lethality of a wolf taking meat from a herd of domestic sheep.

Shunka Warak'in

www.unknownexplorers.com...

The Evidence
The animal shot and killed in Montana remains the only physical evidence of the Shunka Warak’in, however the results of the tests on the creature have yet to be published.

The Sightings
The only sighting of the Shunka Warak’in that has been documented with the name of the individual who saw the creature was the Hutchins sightings in the late 1880’s. No other documented sightings could be found at this time.

The Stats (Where applicable)

• Classification: Hybrid / Other
• Size: Roughly that of a large wolf
• Weight: Unknown
• Diet: Carniverous
• Location: Illinois, Montana, Iowa, Nebraska and Alberta
• Movement: Four legged walking
• Environment: Forest and Plains

Image of unidentified hindquarters taken in 2006. Could just be domestic canine.


Image shot by Hutchins


Alleged Shunka. Some claim it's a boar.


Actual specimen, supposedly


I think it does look almost boar-like, but not the mouth, and not the way they describe the behavior or the footprints. I'm going to go with that it's an unidentified canine species or a result of mutation or hybrid of wolf. I think it is probably canine and not a member of hyaenidae, mainly because of behavior and description. I think it is strange that it typically hunts solitarily if it's a wolf, but it doesn't seem like scientists think it's a common species of wolf. So who knows. I could not find any results from the DNA testing, but if you find some, please let me know.

[edit on 6/9/2009 by ravenshadow13]

It's certainly unusual.

Typically something that grows up in the wild would have very efficient killing methods otherwise it wouldn't last very long.

It's a pretty powerful looking animal, based on the hind picture and the last picture you posted.

Hopefully we'll get test results and know what it is soon.

Animals like this are so hard to track because they're only really around at night, they can be very stealthy, and when most of us humans do hear them we run the other way.

WoW. It looks like a helluva' predator. If I ever saw one I would be Audi real fast....
It does look alot like a wild boar, but the mouth (especially from front view) looks like canine.
Interesting.

Thanx for sharing!

Interesting specimen, I am thinking it may be possible it is a genetically engineered hybrid. I only say this because I mean where has this specimen or anything like it (besides the Chupacabra) been documented anywhere? What species would it evolve from? Plus I know of a lot of rumors of massive genetic experiments creating hybrid animals. What better place to unleash them at than Montana and the far north??? I mean the wide open land and all, not a large amount of people, etc. I personally think there is a good chance about 60% of these cryptids are actually human engineered.

[edit on 6/9/2009 by jkrog08]

Very similar to the Texas Chupacabra corpses that have been appearing over the past few years:

Image 1
Image 2
Image 3
Image 4

The Texas ones, above, were DNA tested and proven to be an unknown member of the canine family.

So that makes me think this 'wolf' thing is probably of the same ilk.

reply to post by ravenshadow13

I could not find any results from the DNA testing, but if you find some, please let me know.

Well apparently the carcass of the animal was sent to the National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon and a muscle sample to UCLA for analysis. No results have been disclosed yet and this was in 2006. LOL, now my attention is peaked, I sent an email to the deputy lab director at Oregon to inquire about the situation, here is a transcript of the email:

I am sending this email to inquire on your labs analysis of the creature killed on November 2nd, 2006 in McCone County, Montana. The carcass was supposedly sent your lab for genetic study and UCLA for DNA analysis. The creature was believed to possibly be a previously unknown animal, possibly similar to a wolf. No results have been released to my knowledge, or at least from what I could find. I would appreciate your comment on this matter.

Thank you,
Justin Krog

Here is a local website that has many personal stories of encounters with the beast..www.newwest.net...


Well you certaintly know how to get my attention peaked in cryptozoology again, I will keep all updated.

reply to post by jkrog08


A+ for emailing them! That's awesome! I wouldn't have even thought of that.

@foof- It reminded me of the chupacabra especially in terms of the destruction to livestock in such a strange manner. Unknown canine sounds about right, or hybrid.

I think that it wouldn't be genetically engineered just because I would see no purpose in that. It's not very well put-together in terms of widespread damage, but it does enough to cause some trouble for individual farmers and families. It's kind of too middle-ground, I think. But I don't know. I think it's very likely that a canine like this could occur naturally in these areas.

Well I found some information on a potential candidate….

The two things that might be problematic about its identification as belonging to Borophagus is that there is no evidence for Borophagus after the Pliocene and the characteristic high-domed skull which doesn't seem to match the mounted specimen, although it is not clear if the specimen was built around the original skull or not. The painted images from the NPS of course is just an artist's rendition based on present-day hyena appearances; there is no reason a Borophagus could not be near-black.

Artist’s rendition…
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/85e2deb56f09.jpg[/atsimg]

Borophagus skull…
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/b98b61e1a3b3.jpg[/atsimg]

Both images and text courtesy of paranormalmontana.blogspot.com

Apparently some thought this could have been a hybrid from a escaped Hyena from a zoo and a native wolf, it could explain some of the characteristics. The only thing we know from the animal that was killed (from an air to ground shot by rangers) weighed 109 lbs and had orange, brown, and red fur. It is odd no results from the testing have been released, hopefully I will get a reply from the email I sent though. I think it is interesting to note that people have said that the bite marks look reminiscent of an animal that "doesn't know what it is doing", what could be the cause of that?




[edit on 6/10/2009 by jkrog08]

It reminds me of a boar but with a wolf twist. Maybe a interbreed of both species by a mad scientist?

@krog- It's possible. It does looks a little different from the pictures, but I wouldn't rule anything out. Anything is possible until we see the DNA results.

@Equinox- Hm.. Boar and Wolf hybrid.
Just for kicks, you got me curious:
www.britishwildboar.org.uk...
Boars have.... 36, 37, or 38 chromosomes.

Wolves have 39 chromosomes.

Horses and Donkeys are one chromosome off from each other, and they are able to reproduce but they produce sterile offspring (mules)

They are very different species, because they are in different orders and things. I don't think it would happen naturally. And I don't think someone would do it in a lab just because... well... what would the purpose be for this sort of hybrid? It's not a great hunter. It's just... weird.

GREAT Post... Star and Flagged

That's a very interesting possibility although I haven't had much time to explore the region myself I can see it entirely possible...

The dog i'm after is the Dire Wolf which I believe still exists in small numbers around the country...

The Dire Wolf and more likely the Black Jaguar are the two species I have the highest hopes of actually managing to tag on film out here on the Mogollon Rim...

Glad to see you breathing some life into the Cryptid threads again... nice work

reply to post by mopusvindictus


Thank you, my friend.

Very funny that you should mention the Black Jaguar. I'm doing "Adopt an Endangered Species" through WWF for my best friend for graduation and her birthday, and that's the one that I picked for her.

I wonder if the Dire Wolf is still around. I haven't heard of any sightings but it's a very interesting topic. If you ever end up doing some research, I'd love to see what you come up with.

reply to post by ravenshadow13


I'll drop a thread on it sometime soon, maybe tonight...

I'm pretty sure it's out there, and it has a very vast range... evidence in the form of carnivore kills with Canine tooth structure but weighing at least 300 lbs and things of that nature, in other words... it seems there is a canine out there that weighs in like a small bear

As for a Big Black Cat out here... I consider that to be a When, not an IF as to someone snapping a good photo... not a big leap from Mexico to the south west for any predator with a big range, they wander in for sure in the summer months occasionally, i've met way too many people who have spotted them... some sort of big cat

PERHAPS... simply an adapted Mountain Lion of sorts as Mountain Lions are common place here, but that in itself would be a great photo op...

reply to post by mopusvindictus


Sounds awesome. Yeah, maybe some sort of panther or something. I'm looking forward to whatever you decide to post!! It's always more fun to make threads about cryptids in your area.

reply to post by ravenshadow13

Anything is possible until we see the DNA results.

LOL, I have a feeling we won't be getting those.

But as far as a hybrid goes, is it not possible for say a escaped Hyena to breed with a Wolf? Or a Boar...? Also you might be surprised to learn that there is a lot of genetic animal testing going on, especially in the past and now for attempts to make a "superhuman", plus humans are curious we like to see what we can do,lol. Do you watch Fringe? That is a pretty good show with some solid speculative plots based upon real world speculations. I don't know maybe I am bringing my UFO forum paranoia and speculation over to the Crypto forum,lol.

Speaking of Hybrids and possibilities has anyone heard of the "Polar Grizzly Bear"?

May 11, 2006—DNA analysis has confirmed that a bear shot in the Canadian Arctic last month is a half-polar bear, half-grizzly hybrid. While the two bear species have interbred in zoos, this is the first evidence of a wild polar bear-grizzly offspring.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/5cd50bfb9490.jpg[/atsimg]
Picture and text courtesy of nationalgeographic.com


So I guess it is possible for two seemingly non-compatible animals to breed, I men who would have thought a Polar Bear and a Grizzly Bear? Those are the two most viscous bears! That would be like a T-Rex and Giganotosaurus breeding!

For those interested: Link to NatGeo article on a bigger carnivore discovered


[edit on 6/10/2009 by jkrog08]

reply to post by jkrog08


You just love going off topic, huh?

lol it's fine

I think there's a thread on that hybrid here on ATS somewhere.

reply to post by ravenshadow13

So I guess it is possible for two seemingly non-compatible animals to breed, I men who would have thought a Polar Bear and a Grizzly Bear?

I was bringing it up only as a peripheral component of the thread. I was showing that if it is possible for two animals like the polar and grizzly bear to breed then it might shed some light on the possibilities of a hyena and wolf, or wolf and boar breeding which is one of the main theories on the beast you presented in this thread.

reply to post by jkrog08


Bears are in the same order as other bears. Wolves and boars are in different orders. Bears are also more likely to have compatible chromosome pairs to make a hybrid, where as wolves and boars are close, but not exactly the same.

I don't think a cross-order hybrid would ever occur. But I think a wolf-wolf hybrid is probably the case here, or wolf-wild dog.

reply to post by mopusvindictus


Regarding a large black cat or Black Jaguar in the Southwest...just by way of mentioning, in the late 70's I was stationed in Colorado and at sunset one day observed a jaguarundi kill a jackrabbit (I was in a control tower and watched it through binoculars from a distance of about 100 yards or so). Jaguarundis aren't supposed to be in Colorado, but there you go.

Not as big or impressive as an actual jaguar, I know, but it was still pretty cool (size-wise I had the jackrabbit that it was carrying off in its mouth for comparison, and had seen photos of jaguarundi to know what it was that I was looking at). Between the size, coloration, face, and the rounded ears I can definitely say that I'm sure of what I saw (too small to be an adult cougar, plus there are no known verified cases of black cougars anyway).

So there ARE large black cats out there...hope you get your picture of an actual black jaguar. That would be great.