New study uncovers wolf-dog hybridization in Greenland

A groundbreaking study led by cultural historian Manumina Lund Jensen, in collaboration with geneticist Mikkel Holger Strander Sinding, sheds new light on the long-standing practice of hybridizing Greenland sled dogs with Arctic wolves. The article, "Wolf-dogs in Greenland: Interbreeding of Greenland Sled Dogs and Arctic Wolves", combines genetic analysis of Greenland sled dogs with local knowledge from cultural tradition-bearers. The study explores how hybridization has historically shaped the behavior and genetics of these dogs over time, merging scientific data with indigenous knowledge.

Key findings of the research

The study reveals that intentional hybridization between Greenland sled dogs and Arctic wolves historically occurred, particularly among Inughuit hunters, who sought to enhance the dogs' strength and speed by crossbreed them with wolves. Interviews with 45 participants, including 22 from the Avanersuaq region (North Greenland), documented eight hunters involved in these practices. Many of these hunters also served as special constables with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and participated in Arctic expeditions. All were exceptional sled dog drivers and hunters, operating in their ancestral hunting grounds on Ellesmere Island and Axel Heiberg Island, where they hunted musk oxen and polar bears.

Multiple well-documented instances of wolf-dog hybridization from Avanersuaq have been recorded. These unikkaat (oral traditions passing down knowledge and cultural heritage through generations) align with earlier accounts from Arctic scientists and explorers.

Manumina Lund Jensen explains: "The data we collected from interviews with cultural tradition-bearers offers a deep and nuanced understanding of how wolf-dog hybridization wasn’t merely accidental but a deliberate and strategic practice among Inughuit hunters in Avanersuaq. These hunters were extraordinary, reflective, and visionary dog breeders who skillfully created strong, intelligent dogs designed to be indispensable partners in hunting and traveling through the harsh Arctic landscape. This practice, passed down through generations, has had a profound and lasting impact on both the dogs' behavior and the hunters' lives, exemplifying a unique symbiosis between humans and animals".

Wolf-dogs were particularly valued for their intelligence, keen sense of smell, and ability to hunt polar bears. Although the first generation of hybrids often wasn’t suitable as sled dogs and could be difficult to train, later generations, crossbred with sled dogs, became effective and successful sled dogs.

Genetic insights

The study compliments genetic analysis of Greenland sled dogs, which interestingly shows that modern dogs in Greenland are not directly mixed with wolves. However, they do share a small amount of genetic ancestry with ancient wolves from before 9,500 BC (Pleistocene era) in Siberia. These findings offer a fresh perspective on the dogs' evolution and their historical ties to wolves. It is however notably, that only a few of the genetically tested dogs originated from Avanersuaq, where wolf hybridization was most likely to have occurred. Future research may reveal more details about the wolf lineage in these Avanersuaq dogs.

Mikkel Holger Sinding adds: "It’s fascinating how these interviews tell a different story from our genetic results, yet both combined actually say a lot. The interviews clearly document that these wolf-dogs existed, while the genetics show that they didn’t significantly contribute to the lineage of the typical Greenland sled dog. Why this is the case remains unclear, but the interviews suggest that hybridization was concentrated in the Avanersuaq region. Unfortunately, we only have genetic data on a few dogs from there, so it’s possible that wolf ancestry exists in some Avanersuaq dogs that are not represented in the available genetic data. I am hopeful that future research will allow us to study these dogs further to clarify the potential extent and role of hybridization in their lineage".

Access to the study

The article is available in Études Inuit Studies, Volume 47, Number 1-2, 2023, pp. 359–380, and can be accessed online here: DOI: 10.7202/1113396ar.

For further information, contact:

Manumina Lund Jensen
Department of Cultural & Social History
Ilisimatusarfik - University of Greenland
[email protected] - 485200