Blood samples collected from 116 stray dogs living in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ) have revealed two genetically distinct populations compared to dogs living farther from the nuclear disaster site.
The findings, published in the journal Canine Medicine and Genetics, suggest that the dogs have undergone genetic changes, enabling them to adapt to prolonged exposure to a toxic environment.
The 1986 Chernobyl disaster, one of the worst nuclear and ecological catastrophes in history, occurred in northern Ukraine when an explosion at a nuclear reactor released the largest-ever amount of radioactive material into the environment.
Following the tragedy, residents were evacuated, leaving the area an uninhabited radioactive wasteland. It is estimated that around 900 stray dogs, many descendants of pets abandoned during the evacuation, now live in the exclusion zone.
Wildfire near Chernobyl, Ukraine
The study suggests that the nuclear disaster triggered genetic mutations in the dogs, which have been passed down through generations, aiding their survival in extreme environmental conditions.
Similar observations have been made in other species. In January, mutant wolves in the CEZ were reported to have developed cancer resistance, and in May, researchers found that frogs in the area had developed darker skin, enhancing their chances of surviving radiation exposure.
The research raises broader questions about the potential for human habitation in the exclusion zone. “Examining the genetic and health impacts of these chronic exposures in the dogs will strengthen our broader understanding of how these types of environmental hazards can impact humans and how best to mitigate health risks,” Dr. Norman Kleiman, head of the study and a researcher in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University, told the Daily Mail.
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