AP News, August 14th, 2006
For more than a month now, reports have been coming in from the North Shore of an animal that looks like a hyena. "It's hard to say just why, but that's what it looks like," said Kathi Johnson, of Hovland, northeast of Grand Marais.
Twice from her car she has seen the animal near her home. "It's this weird-looking gray animal, and it reminds you of that hyena in the 'Lion King.' "
Witnesses have described it as a short-haired animal with a big head, rounded ears, bigger front shoulders and smaller hindquarters.
There have been many theories, from a deformed wolf to an exotic, abandoned dog to an actual hyena transplanted from its native Africa or Asia.
But international wolf expert L. David Mech has seen a photograph, and he said it appears to be an ordinary timber wolf _ with a severe case of mange. It's caused by a tiny parasite that causes animals to lose their fur.
Cases of mange have become more common as the state's wolf population grew in the 1990s. "We've always seen some, but it's been worse in the last 10 years," he said.
Mech said the photographers indicate that the animal was in pretty good shape and might survive the winter, although some animals will the die of exposure or starvation.
"From the pictures, this one looks like it's in fairly good condition," he said. "You can see it in the rounded rump, with no bones showing.
"It's a horrible thing to look at, but this animal probably is OK."
___
Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com
