Key Findings
Free-roaming domestic dogs (FRD) show a marked preference for anthropogenic resources such as buildings and roads, influencing their habitat selection and movement patterns across rural and urban settings in Indonesia and Guatemala.
Summary
Free-roaming domestic dogs (FRD) pose significant public health risks in low- and middle-income countries due to their potential to transmit diseases such as rabies. Despite their dependence on humans, the dogs’ roaming behaviors are not well understood. Understanding the movement patterns and habitat selection of FRD is crucial for developing effective disease control strategies.
The study, “Habitat Selection by Free-Roaming Domestic Dogs in Rabies Endemic Countries in Rural and Urban Settings,” examined how FRD utilize environmental resources in both rural and urban settings across five distinct sites in Indonesia and Guatemala. The primary objective was to assess FRD habitat selection concerning human-made and natural geographical features, and to determine whether these patterns differed across various regions and settings.
Research was conducted in five distinct settings: two in Indonesia (Habi and Pogon) and three in Guatemala (Poptún, La Romana, and Sabaneta). Habi is a semi-urban area, while Pogon is rural. In Guatemala, Poptún is urban, whereas La Romana and Sabaneta are rural areas.
The researchers analyzed the movement of 321 dogs equipped with geo-referenced contact sensors (GCS). In Indonesia, the study population consisted of young dogs, with a median age of 10 months in Habi and 12 months in Pogon. Most of these dogs were females (61%) and primarily served as guardians, while smaller percentages were kept as pets (19%) or meat sources (10%). In Guatemala, the majority of the dogs were males (67%) and nearly all were intact (not neutered). Unlike in Indonesia, the dogs in Guatemala were not used as meat sources but were mainly kept as guardians.
GPS data indicated that FRD showed a clear preference for anthropogenic resources. Buildings were the most frequently used in Habi (Indonesia), La Romana, and Sabaneta (Guatemala), while roads were the most utilized resource in Pogon (Indonesia) and Poptún (Guatemala). The dogs favored low vegetation over high vegetation and open fields, suggesting a tendency to remain near human activity and take advantage of trees for shade in the hot climate. Beaches and the sea were only occasionally used, and flat slopes were preferred over steep terrain. These preferences underscore the synanthropic nature of FRD, as they adjust their movement patterns to stay close to human resources, conserve energy, and increase their chances of finding food.
As rabies vaccination rates remain low in many resource-poor countries, the researchers recommended the use of oral rabies vaccination (ORV) as a potential strategy. They highlight that ORV can effectively complement parenteral vaccination, particularly in areas where FRD are difficult to catch and vaccinate. ORV baits can be distributed in environments where FRD are known to roam, leveraging their preference for anthropogenic resources such as buildings and roads. This approach can increase vaccination coverage among FRD, thereby reducing the incidence of rabies transmission to humans and other animals.
Miscellaneous
Data From Study:
–
Year of Publication:
2022
External Link:
Cunha Silva, L., Friker, B., Warembourg, C. et al. Habitat selection by free-roaming domestic dogs in rabies endemic countries in rural and urban settings. Sci Rep 12, 20928 (2022).
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25038-z