The cause and time of death of “Dog Sim” remains unknown. According to the Telegraph, this unique dog-fox hybrid was accidentally discovered after a road accident. The creature, named Dogsim, was found in Brazil in 2021 and taken to the Animal Hospital of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. DNA tests were conducted at the hospital, confirming that this was the first-ever dog-fox hybrid. However, the Brazilian government launched an investigation when it was discovered that the caretaker of the animal did not report its death.
The Pampas fox-dog hybrid resided in Sao and had been under the care of the Braz Conservation Center since November 2021. However, when experts asked for a photo of the animal, they were informed that it had died six months earlier. Dr. Raphael Kretschmer, the cytogeneticist who confirmed the hybrid nature of “Dogsim,” expressed sadness over the animal’s death and emphasized the lack of answers regarding the exact date.
Flavia Ferrari, a conservationist who looked after the animal, claimed that the female was healthy and did not show any signs of health issues. Surprising behavior, such as the refusal of food, was observed in the “dog sims.” Cristina Araujo Matzenbacher, a researcher, noted that the silver fox hybrid also displayed peculiar behavior by climbing into bushes within its environment. Matzenbacher’s findings were published in the journal MDPI. Experts utilized advanced techniques, including cytogenetics, to conduct DNA tests on the animals.