Two canine communities living and thriving in the vicinities of the former Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine offer scientists a unique glimpse into how life adapts in a hostile environment.
“Understanding the genetic and health impacts of these chronic exposures in the dogs will strengthen our broader understanding of how these types of environmental hazards can impact humans and how best to mitigate health risks,” remarks Dr. Norman J. Kleiman, head researcher of the newly published study.
One canine community roams near the reactors, and the other one is 16 kilometres away from Chernobyl City. Following the 1986 nuclear meltdown explosion, high radiation levels caused genetic mutations, reproductive problems, and a sharp decline in populations. But over time, the absence of humans in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone allowed nature to bounce back. For the first time, scientists are investigating the genetic makeup of stray dogs living near the plant. The team identified 391 outlier regions in the dogs’ DNA that differed between the two canine groups. There is still much to be discovered about the Chernobyl dogs, and the research has broader implications since dogs are a sentinel species that can teach us a lot about human health. Hopefully, new insights into genetic adaptation in extreme environments will come to light.
