15G Dogs after the Apocalypse

Readers of PNG know that the Chernobyl exclusion zone has been de-populated and wildlife has returned to dominate the contaminated landscape.  Among the species left behind are humans' pets. Dogs and cats have proliferated in the aftermath. Scientists have been keen to know how animals have adapted to life  and how they have changed after exposure to high levels of radiation,.

Fifteen generations later, dogs are managing to survive and reproduce successfully among the decaying buildings, machinery, and abandoned homes.  The first study of what geneticists hope will be more was published in Science Advances. The study focused on 302 dogs residing in the exclusion zone in areas of different radiation levels that may have made them distinct from each other and dogs outside the zone.  Such studies will help man understand the long-term impacts of radioactive fallout on all mammals including himself. In April, 1986 the Chernobyl plant got out of control and begin melting down.  An ensuing fire and explosion spread fallout into the atmosphere. Some of that fallout reached as far as Northern Europe. About thirty people died in the immediate aftermath, mostly heroic "liquidators" as they were termed by the Soviet government. Thousands more have died from long-term exposure. [photo credit: AP]

Most of the study animals appear to have descended from pets left behind during the evacuation of residents. Through their DNA, researchers were able to distinquish dogs from different areas of the zone with different levels of exposure. They identified 15 distinct areas. At this point in the research, geneticists can look for specific mutations that have either helped or hindered the animals' survival. Researchers will return to the zone for follow-up study. The last time was in October 2022; they did not see any war-related activity even though the initial Russian invasion route towards Kyiv was through the exclusion zone. Oblivious Russian soldiers were reported to have dug trenches in the contaminated soil. Researchers have become attached to some of the dogs, giving them names. Apparently some still enjoy the company of humans, especially if they come with food.