Wyoming: Wolf or Hybrid?

News of a mystery predator shot and revealed to be a wolf may have been premature. Latest report notes characteristics which might point to a hybrid canine:

"The mysterious, sheep-killing predator shot and killed a month ago between Jordan and Circle was initially thought to be a wolf.
"But now, wildlife officials aren't so sure.
"'Frankly, it has mixed characteristics,' said Carolyn Sime, head of the wolf program for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
"Some clues indicate that it's not a wolf from among the 1,200 or so that live in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. The animal shot in Garfield County in early November had shades of orange, red and yellow in its fur, unlike the Northern Rockies wolves, which tend more toward browns, blacks and grays.
"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." ...
"Whatever it was, it had landowners in McCone, Garfield and Dawson counties on alert for months. About 120 sheep were killed and others were hurt in a series of attacks that started about a year ago." ...
"Muscle tissue has been sent to the University of California Los Angeles, where scientists have been analyzing DNA from the Northern Rockies wolf population and putting together a sort of family tree.
"The animal's carcass was sent to the National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Ore., for genetic analysis."

[Full news posted to StrangeArk archive.]