Part II: Genetics and Cloning

Article: A while back on this blog, we did a current event on bringing animals back from extinction through playing with DNA. What about a different version of the same game: creating a new predator by mixing genes? Scientists have created a new top predator that is taking over the Northeast, a mix of a coyote and wolf, called an Eastern Coyote. From an evolution perspective, wolves and coyotes stopped mating around 2 million years ago. However, scientists created this hybrid in labs, mating female coyotes with male grey wolves. The result is an animal 40% bigger than a coyote with powerful wolf-like jaws, but more social than the loner coyote; it hunts in packs. Kids: what do you think about this? Click here for pictures of the hybrid.