Closer to solving the mystery of the extinct Falklands' canid warrah

Thursday, October 28th 2021 - 09:27 UTC

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The team headed by Kit Hamley also extended its research into the warrah (Dusicyon australis), an extinct species of fox. The warrah was the only native and terrestrial mammal to reside on the Falkland Islands at the time of European arrival. Subsequent hunting wiped the species out in 1856, making it the first extinct canid in the historic record, Hamley says. Read full article

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RedBaron
I believe there are five warrahs (complete and partial) preserved around the world - one of which is in a museum in Brussels. Did Harmley also research the Belgian warrah and others to compare DNA?
Oct 28th, 2021 - 10:02 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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FitzRoy
There is also one in the Natural History Museum in London. As well as a large collection in the museum in Stanley. It is hardly surprising that its diet consisted of sea lions and seals, the warrah would have been carnivorous and before we populated the islands there were no other land mammals. Except, perhaps, the Patagonian Fox.
Oct 29th, 2021 - 08:39 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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Pugol-H
A DNA analysis could reveal how close they were to Patagonian Foxes and maybe even how long they had been separated.

Doesn’t look like they got any usable DNA samples.

Question now is what the implications for the biodiversity of the Islands are having removed a top predator.
Oct 29th, 2021 - 09:45 pm - Link - Report abuse -1
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