Over 30 years ago, the Chernobyl disaster happened, and pet owners were forced to leave their furry friends behind as they evacuated the area. A new study noticed some changes in descendants of pets left behind by residents.
Chernobyl Dogs Are Genetically Distinct
US scientists have been analyzing the blood of 302 pooches that still live following the devastating nuclear power plant explosion in 1986. the scientists visited the area between 2017 and 2019 to check on the canine residents that survived. They collected DNA from about 200 free-breeding dogs from other parts of Ukraine and global countries.
The majority of them lived inside the plant, nearby railway station, or in the largely-abandoned Chernobyl City, about nine kilometers away. A number were found in Slavutych, and they were less exposed to radiation.
According to researchers from the University of South Carolina and the National Human Genome Research Institute, dogs are genetically distinct from other pups. They could be split into three genetically similar groups.
According to Your Genome, genetic variation makes each of us unique. The variation in the DNA sequence in each of the genomes determines one's hair color, skin color, or even face shape. This applies to the animals too.
The researchers want to examine the effects of radiation on the Chernobyl dog's DNA. Geneticist and study author Dr. Elaine Ostrander said the research would give them the groundwork for answering the important question about surviving in hostile environments for multiple generations.
Initially, they thought the dogs might have intermingled over time and are much the same. Ostrander and her colleagues were surprised with the results.
She said the study is a huge milestone for them. Additionally, they can identify families, and there were about 15. Those families were reportedly unique compared to free-breeding dogs that live elsewhere and breed with each other.
They speculate that animals may have possessed genetic mutations allowing them to survive and breed after the disaster. Inbreeding may have also been promoted in the individual regions, leading them to develop genetic distinctiveness.
Ostrander added that comparing the data from Chernobyl dogs against the other group will give them an idea of the differences, changes, mutations, and evolutions. It will also help them determine what helps the dog or hurt them at the DNA level.
The results of the genome analysis were published in Science Advances.
What Happened During the Chernobyl Disaster?
In April 1986, inadequately trained personnel operated a flawed reactor design resulting in a steam explosion. The fire released at least 5% of the radioactive core into the environment.
Two plant workers died due to the explosion, and 28 people died within a few weeks as a result of acute radiation syndrome, according to World Nuclear Association.
The outlet noted that the Chernobyl disaster was the only accident in the history of commercial nuclear power where fatalities occurred due to radiation.
Over 160,000 residents around the areas evacuated, leaving the former Soviet site as a radioactive ghost town. They were only allowed to take what they could carry and were forced to leave their pets behind.
Squads were sent to kill the animals to prevent them from spreading the radioactive contamination. However, some survived by hiding in the woods, where they survived and bred.
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