Date: May 23, 2019
Source: University of Exeter
"Swarms"
of wolf-dog crossbreeds could drive Europe's wolves out of existence, according
to the lead author of new research.
Such
hybridisation -- driven by human activities that destroy habitats and mean
wolves encounter more and more free-roaming dogs -- threatens the "genetic
identity" of wolves.
The study
compares the views of more than 40 scientists and warns that a lack of
engagement and agreement could hamper efforts to tackle wolf-dog hybridisation.
The
findings suggest most scientists agree on the nature of the problem, but are
divided on how to deal with it.
"We
need to address this issue before wolf-dog hybrids backcross with wolves to the
extent that wolf populations will be lost to hybrid swarms, and the
conservation of wild populations will become unfeasible," said lead author
Valerio Donfrancesco, of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation on the
University of Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall.
"In
this paper, we argue that scientific agreement is crucial to encourage
decision-makers to act, and to raise awareness about this conservation issue in
society at large.
"The
fact that we know so little about the ecology, behaviour and social acceptance
of the wolf-dog hybrids adds a layer of concern to the issue."
The
study, which allowed scientists to share their views anonymously, revealed
agreement that people should be educated about the impact of free-roaming dogs,
and that governments should remove wolf-dog hybrids from small and recovering
wild wolf populations.
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