After the Chernobyl nuclear disaster on April 26, 1986, tens of thousands of people people had to leave their homes. Despite everything, hundreds of pet dogs remained who managed to create a strong population still living in the irradiated lands.

What the study shows

• The authors of the study collected blood samples from 302 dogs living near the power plant and 15-45 kilometers from the disaster area.
• It was only after looking at the DNA of the dogs living near Chernobyl that it became clear what they were. genetically different from domestic animals living in other parts of the world. According to the researchers, this is a reflection of the ionizing radiation they have been exposed to for generations.
• The study showed that this population includes 15 complex family structures.
• At the same time, dogs move freely in different areas and mate with each other.
• Animals are classified as semi-wild as they still have some contact with humans. They are bred by workers and researchers, and veterinarians sometimes visit the area to vaccinate and treat dogs.

Dogs near Chernobyl station / Photo: Clean Futures Fund+

Now that it is clear that Chernobyl dogs are genetically different from those living outside the Exclusion Zone, the researchers hope to find out if these differences affect their health, appearance and behavior. It could even shed light on genetic mutations that help animals survive radiation.

We want to find variants that DNA has acquired in the 15 generations after the accident and that allow us to survive in conditions of high radiation exposure,
— Elaine Ostrander, author of the study, of the National Human Genome Research Institute (USA), explained.

The research was the first step towards future work.