Chernobyl dogs may be genetically different due to radiation

According to the scientific journal Science Advances, a genetic study of 302 wild dogs from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (ZEC) has identified dog populations that are genetically distinct from each other and from dogs from other parts of the world.

The published study claims that these dogs’ “unique genetic diversity” makes them “ideal candidates” for future research aimed at understanding the long-term genetic impact of highly radioactive environments on the health of large mammalian populations.

The study, details of which were released 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 worst nuclear disaster in history occurred at Chernobyl in April 1986, the Soviet government ordered the area around the nuclear power plant to be evacuated and pets to be culled.

ZEK was divided into four zones, the fourth, the closest to the plant and the most dangerous, has a radius of 30 kilometers.

Over the years, the absence of people has contributed to the return of wildlife and the presence of wild animals, some of them, such as dogs, the descendants of domestic animals left there.

Some studies have examined the genetic effects of exposure to ionizing radiation (it is known to increase the frequency of genetic mutations in some plant and animal species), but it remains unclear how it might affect populations of large animals such as dogs.

To find out, Gabriella Spatola and her team used blood samples from 302 wild dogs collected between 2017 and 2019 as part of the Chernobyl Canine Research Initiative, which has been providing these dogs with veterinary care since 2017 and collecting samples for genetic analysis.

Samples were taken from dogs living in Chernobyl (15 km) and Slavutich (45 km).

The team identified 15 complex family structures unique to the Chernobyl population compared to other dogs around the world and with wide genomic variation within and between geographic locations in the ZEC, suggesting that these dogs move between locations, live in close proximity to each other and reproduce freely.

Based on these data, the study concludes that “the Chernobyl dog population has great potential for use in environmental resource management studies in a resurgent population.”

However, speaking to SMC Spain, James Smith of the University of Portsmouth (UK) said that he thought 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 finding.” ” given that the current population is dependent on a particular mix of breeds that survived the 1986 pet slaughter.

In a similar vein, Germán Orizaola of the Spanish University of Oviedo said that he believes the study only describes the structure of the wild population of Chernobyl dogs, but because it doesn’t include radiation exposure data, he thinks it doesn’t. useful for studying the effects of radiation on these animals.