Alleged Red Wolf Probably a Hybrid

A woman in Collier County, Florida, photographed a canine that has lead to talk of a red wolf. USFWS thinks it probably isn't, due to certain morphological characteristics. (News source.)

"For one, the animal looks 'heavy in the belly' compared to the more compact red wolf.
"Secondly, a round color pattern on its face gives away its probable status as a wolf-dog hybrid or maybe, judging from its pointy noise, with a little coyote thrown in," ...
"Another clue: the animal’s repeated appearance within camera lens range hints at past exposure to people."

Some history is given:
"Red wolves were declared extinct in the wild in 1980, but by 1987, enough red wolves had been born in captivity to release wolves into the Alligator River refuge. Between 100 and 140 red wolves live in northeast North Carolina today" ...
"Besides that, two packs of red wolves have been let loose on islands off the Florida Panhandle and South Carolina to prevent them from breeding with coyotes or wild dogs. Their offspring supplements the North Carolina population."

And while giving various sides of the controversy, the irrational skeptic is quoted:
"Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologist Darrell Land, who leads the agency’s Florida panther program, is equally skeptical.
"For a red wolf to suddenly show its face in Collier County defies reason, he said.
"'There’s just no way it could be a red wolf,' Land said. 'To me that’s a no-brainer. I don’t care what it looks like picture-wise."

Right. It's one thing to critically examine the evidence and point to better alternative explanations. Just from a rational and objective scientific perspective, where unusual occurrences happen with reasonable if unexpected explanations, this statement is just plain dumb.