What you should know
- Recent tests confirmed that an animal killed during a coyote hunt in upstate New York last year was actually a wolf, state environmental officials said Thursday.
- Environmental officials said it is only the third wolf identified in the wild in the state in 25 years. They also added that it was not known where the animal came from, but that it probably came from the Great Lakes area, although the wolf population is not known to have spread beyond Michigan.
- The wolf was killed in Cherry Valley in Otsego County, about 40 miles (64.37 kilometers) west of Albany. Wolves are believed to have been eradicated from the northeast in the early 20th century, with coyotes bridging the gap becoming common in the region.
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NEW YORK – Recent tests confirmed that an animal killed during a coyote hunt in New York state last year was actually a wolf, state environmental officials said Thursday.
The findings reviewed this week contradicted an initial analysis that concluded that it was an oriental coyote, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Environmental officials said it is only the third wolf identified in the wild in the state in 25 years. They also added that it was not known where the animal came from, but that it probably came from the Great Lakes area, although the wolf population is not known to have spread beyond Michigan.
The group added that it may have been a captive animal that escaped or was released.
The wolf was killed in Cherry Valley in Otsego County, about 40 miles (64.37 kilometers) west of Albany. After experts who reviewed the initial DNA analysis concluded that it was a coyote, the DNA sent by the hunter was sent to Princeton University for further testing, indicating that it was likely a male wolf.
Wolves are believed to have been eradicated from the northeast in the early 20th century, with coyotes bridging the gap becoming common in the region. However, many residents have reported seeing animals they believe are more like larger wolves, occasionally hearing howls.
Some proponents claim that wolves are found in New York and New England and may cross the frozen St. Lawrence River on their way to southern Canada.
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