A genetic study of 302 feral dogs from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (ZEC) identified dog populations that are genetically distinct from each other and from dogs from other parts of the world, according to the scientific journal Science Advances.
The published study states that “the unique genetic diversity of these dogs” makes them “ideal candidates” for future studies aimed at understanding the long-term genetic effects of highly radioactive environments on the health of large mammal populations.
The research, details of which were published Friday, was led by Gabriella Spatola of the National Institute for Human Genome Research at the University of South Carolina and Elaine Ostrander of the National Institute for Human Genome Research.
Shortly after the largest nuclear disaster in history occurred at Chernobyl in April 1986, the Soviet government ordered the evacuation of the area around the nuclear power plant and the culling of pets.
The ZEC was divided into four zones and the fourth, the closest to the power station and the most dangerous, has a radius of 30 kilometers.
Over the years, the lack of people has favored the return of wildlife and the presence of wild animals, some of which, like dogs, are descendants of the pets left there.
Some studies have looked at the genetic effects of exposure to ionizing radiation (it is known to increase the genetic mutation rate in several species of plants and animals), but it remains unclear how this might affect populations of large animals such as dogs.
To find out, Gabriella Spatola and her team used blood samples from 302 feral dogs collected between 2017 and 2019 by the Chernobyl Dog Research Initiative, which has been providing veterinary care to these dogs since 2017 and collecting samples for genetic analysis.
Samples were taken from dogs living in the city of Chernobyl (15 km) and Slavutych (45 km).
The team identified 15 complex family structures unique to the Chernobyl population compared to other dogs around the world and with large genomic variations within and between geographic locations in the ZEC, suggesting that these dogs move between locations, living in close proximity to each other and freely reproduce.
With these data, the study concludes that “the Chernobyl dog population has great potential to inform studies on natural resource management in a resurgent population.”
However, speaking to SMC Spain, James Smith of the University of Portsmouth (UK) said he believes the study “only shows that there is a different mix of races and families in Chernobyl compared to other places, which is not a surprising discovery .”, as the current population depends on the specific mix of breeds that survived the 1986 pet slaughter.
Along the same lines, Germán Orizaola, from Spain’s University of Oviedo, said he believes the study only describes the structure of the wild population of Chernobyl dogs, but because it does not include data on radiation exposure, he believes it not useful for studying the effects of radiation in these animals.
Source: DN
