Khadka, N. S. (2019, February 12). Dogs’ becoming major threat’ to wildlife. Retrieved February

24, 2019, from https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-47062959

 

For years, the impact of feral and wild domestic dogs on other species has been studied in countries around the world. While they do not receive much attention from environmentalists, dogs can be detrimental to ecosystems and hurt populations of other species. Through predation, cross breeding, competing with other predators, and spreading disease, dogs have been documented reducing populations of almost 200 species, many endangered. Scientists are trying to come up with a solution to the problem, because the only real solution at the moment (killing these feral dogs) met severe backlash by the public.

 

Domestic breeds of dogs were created unnaturally by humans, so this is just another example of how humans have hurt the environment and the other animals around us. The delicate balance found in many ecosystems can be thrown off easily by the introduction of a new, large population of predators. I also think that the feral and wild dog issue holds another lesson: that any shift to the environment can have a drastic impact where it wouldn’t be expected. Keeping track of domestic dogs, and preventing further releases into the wild, is a good first step in helping this issue, but a real solution to remove them from the wild is necessary to protect the species it is threatening.