Online survey suggests that dog attacks on wildlife affect many species and every ecoregion of Argentina

Abstract

Exotic predators constitute an increasingly important conservation threat worldwide. Domestic dogs are considered one of the most commonly-introduced predators, and one of the causes of decline in wildlife on a global scale. Nevertheless, few studies report specific cases of interaction between dogs and the affected species; rather, the possible effect of dogs is inferred, or some cases of interaction are mentioned in studies whose focus is on a different topic. In Argentina, a large, biodiverse country with 18 ecoregions providing habitat for numerous threatened species, scientific research addressing dog-wildlife interaction is lacking. We performed a study at a national level, using an online survey to obtain concrete records of dog attacks on wildlife, focusing mainly on natural areas, as they host several vulnerable species. We categorized the species records according to conservation status and assessed the data obtained by ecoregion. Of the total number of respondents (N = 1006), 68.4% had witnessed a dog chasing or preying on wildlife at least once. At least 80 recognized species had been chased or preyed on by dogs, 6.5% of these species being categorized as Endangered or Vulnerable in national and global Red Lists. Most persecution events corresponded to birds (48%) and mammals (47%). Dog persecution of wildlife was reported throughout every Argentine ecoregion, highlighting the widespread prevalence of this problem. This information will help in the development of initial dog management plans and define priority areas for action, as well as raise social concern regarding this threat, and promote responsible pet ownership.