[Posted in 2019]

Majority of our last year seasons were dedicated to unleashed suburban dog-walks led through the Subcarpathian meadows and along the San river bank.Meadows are ‘suburbs of forests’. Bieszczady Mountains are characterised by the following elevation levels.

• Foothills [Polish pogórze, up to 500m] - formerly deciduous forests grubbed by humans for arable use (fields, pastures, orchards).

• Montana zone [Polish regiel dolny, 500m - 1150m] - riparian and mixed coniferous forests (mostly spruce), generally primeval.

• Polonynas [Polish połoniny, more than 1150m] - rock formations strewn around as a biotope for alpine or subalpine flora.

San Valley microregion is part of Natura 2000 project encompassing selected nature protection areas of the European Union, dominated by agriculture, meadows and shrubbery which a shallow river flows through.

As an ecosystem, (flood-)meadow is a natural environment of a river valley (and can be used as a natural ‘fence’). An important part of a it is the flora, mainly grass and varied flowers. If it’s regularly mowed or eaten by livestock or wildlife herbivores like deer or hare moving between forests (their natural habitat), the meadow remains without constantly growing trees or bushes so it doesn’t change into more complex type of biocenose.

Every meadow wakes up in spring, Subcarpathian one isn’t an exception. It starts from blue birdeye speedwells, white daisies and finally reaches dandelion season. Then yellow dandelion inflorescences change into white puffs of seeds forming parachutes which fly away with the wind.

In summer the meadow changes its image, its grass losses fresh green timbre to more discreet. Subcarpathian early summer is full of white and red clovers, and purple woodland geranium. Late in the summer yellow wild mustard, red poppy and centaureas appear, together with white fool’s parsley and wild carrot. The wild carrot summaries the meadow season and preparations to sleep beginning in September. Its umbel curls up at the edges as its seeds ripen what makes Queen Anne’s Lace pretty photogenic.

Meadow’s flora prospers thanks to its soil (biotope), living there saprobionts (bacteria, fungus) and earthworms. Flowers are pollinated by bees, bumblebees, butterflies and the rest if pollinators moving pollen from male anther to female stigma of the same or another flower. Other more or less visible invertebrates are arthropodes - eusocial vespidae and ants (same as bees), ladybirds (beetles), flies and carnivore spiders, or snails (mollusks). All of them are diet or part of diet of vertebrates. In soil moles live, small mammal vertebrates representatives eating insects and their larvas. On the ground insects are hunted by frogs and toads (amphibians) or lizards (reptiles). Mice, as a small rodents, feed on seeds or the rest of insects if its necessary.

It’s a bird habitat. The most noticeable seems to be a common pheasant - reach in colors (male), making unusual sounds if flushed out, that omnivore hunts same invertebrates as small vertebrates if it’s possible. Seasonally, a stork hunts. Sometimes, majestic lesser spotted eagle soars through the sky or common cuckoo is audible. The shallow river bank is the empire of the waterfowl like partly herbivore swans and omnivore ducks (mallard). Carnivore herons regularly hunt fish. Next to them reintroduced beavers live with their strict diet, building constructions of trees and changing topography by their activity.

So, winter is coming. In the Subcarpathian suburb it means a deer or a hare flitting suddenly on the horizon or just crossing your path on the run. It’s a time of bird feeding and wild animal marks on the snow. Hopefully to hear a wolf’s howl somewhere far away.

The dogs abandoned by their evacuated owners, survived within the CEZ area coexisting together with the wild Canis cousins (mostly by avoidance or casual mating). Among the rest of CEZ native fauna (large predators, preyed ungulates) and introduced species (vide Przewalski’s horse), domestic dogs remain familiar with Chernobyl Zone itself, even if their survival was related to human presence.

Chernobyl dogs should be considered as not only stray animals (socialized to humans before and wandering around), but also as feral ones (being a running wild offspring of stray dogs or their offspring). 30 years after Chernobyl NPP disaster, their local population became free-ranging scavengers.

→ without food resources managed by a human (garbage at least)

It is not exactly true, considering their current status of their descendants which evaded not being shot by soldiers ordered to cull them right after the instant evacuation of people (making entire area depopulated).

Circa 3500 volunteers/scientists/visitors/workers running through direct Chernobyl zone each day nowadays, not only take out the trash from scratch (produce garbage), but randomly adopt the local dog population by feeding its representatives with scraps of their own meals (making them tame). Driven out of the forest divided into hunting wolf packs’ territories, scavenging dogs instinctively look for any support from nearby human activity.

→ feeling unsafe almost everywhere (and being dangerous simultaneously)

Without a medical care, with a lack of shelter to endure harsh winters/heavy rains/climate anomalies or just to hide from a potential intruder, usually malnourished, Chernobyl dogs rarely live beyond the age of 6-8 years. They’re exposed to rabies from one another and/or from wild animals (including wolves attacking them) as well as they spread rabies by interacting with one another and/or with wild animals (including the same wolves). Moreover, they’re a hazard for humans touching them, most often to pet their fur - still carrying increased levels of radiation.

→ with no reproduction control on relatively narrow area

Counting up to circa 250 (in 2017) CEZ dog population is unrestricted progeny of some scattered dogs - left behind after 120,000 people of 189 various locations were immediately evacuated - unnoticed by soldiers who dispatched to cull them (even if presently they’re poached).

If there’s no place to go, inbreed hazard systematically increases (together with genetic diseases heredity). It would ‘statistically’ keep CEZ local dog population under selective control (by predation) and ultimately make them extinct with no human help (like food resources or just taking care about its representatives for example).

In 2017 Chernobyl dogs got a chance to be health - and radiation - monitored, and breeding controlled as well. Dogs of Chernobyl program - in collaboration with Clean Futures Fund (US non-profit organization) - started involving 40-person team of professionals (researchers, veterinarians) and volunteers, coming from multiple countries, under the keystone patronage of SSE Chernobyl NPP and SAUEZM. In 2018, Dogs of Chernobyl clinic was established, with partnership and sponsoring of many more like SPCA International and DT Worldwide among others.

short-term → medical care

Every captured dog (or cat) is given its unique ID number, which data is collected every time it is inspected again. Radiation monitoring, rabies and complex vaccinating - are obligatory. When a bit of contamination is detected, a dog is washed and decontaminated with a special powder before it arrives into the hospital. According to reports, none of the captured CEZ puppies was radioactive (some adults were).

middle-term → population control

Reproduction-oriented behavior is typical for free-ranging canines. I don’t think we’ll ever get zero dogs in the exclusion zone but we want to get the population down to a manageable size so we can feed and provide long-term care for them - Lucas Hixson says, CFF co-founder. Adult animals - including reproductive youngsters - are successively spayed/neutered.

long-term → preparing for potential adopters

Adult dogs became too wild to be adopted

• They grew up not habituated to human presence during their sensitive period

• They’re not able to learn enough about human-dependent food resources management.

Socialization and habituation to human custody is possible for their feral offspring. Selected ones are reared under a strict schedule - walked, nourished, groomed, optionally trained. At the same time, first prospective owners are interviewed.

The Dogs of Chernobyl project is the research initiative leaded by Dr. Timothy Mousseau, scientific research coordinator, who has studied Chernobyl zone wildlife for years in the context of biological consequences of radiation exposure. It was observed that CEZ dog population is unstable yearly - explodes up to 1000 during summer season (the urgency to reproduce, especially in adult ones) and collapses during winter season time (the lack of food and care, especially in young ones). The goal is to study the health effects of radiation (by collected data analysis) and help to provide essential animal welfare to stabilize the population (DNA samples delivered to the laboratory after every dog is inspected, their eyes examination for cataracts as early sign of significant radiation exposure). The proposed long-term research program will provide much needed scientific evidence as to the effects of radionuclides on animal health and longevity. The opportunity to study these dogs is unique and will generate novel insights that would not be possible for humans or most other animal species - stands in the prospect.

There’s still less of data associated with how Canis familiaris survived so far on such limited territory permanently inhabited by Canic lupus. According to Nadezhda Appolonov - Ukrainian CFF volunteer - CEZ wolves have killed 30% of CEZ dog population for the last few years. Random CEZ wolves-dogs matings were also frequently reported.

There are a lot of perceptions about Chernobyl that are not realities - Hixson concludes - People who have never been here expect to see something without ever coming and looking for themselves. Chernobyl dogs study could be the answer for raising questions about remaining radiation’s long-term influence on wildlife.

references:
Dogs of Chernobyl project
Biological consequences of Chernobyl: 20 years on (2006); study by Timothy A. Mousseau, Anders Pape Møller
Large Carnivores of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Exclusion Zone (2012); research by M. Shkvyria, D. Vishnevskiy
Analysis of Radioactivity in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone Domestic Canine Population(2017); Interactive Qualifying Project Report by Taylor Trottier (Worcester Polytechnic Institute)

Every large dog guarding a herd of animals is reacting independently before the shepherd does, even instead of the shepherd. That dog remains in the working mode all the time - every day and night - even if looks like its lazily resting on the surface. Those dogs naturally cooperate in a group with each other, tightly attached to dedicated species of protected animals. That’s why, just in case, the area which they’re working on should be fenced or marked so its warning border is visible enough.

Livestock guarding dogs camouflage thanks to their coat color - at first impression invisible among numerous livestock on the meadow and/or masked by environmental elements. From a distance, simply, they let know about their presence with regular barking. Then, if concerned, step by step they’re approaching with intention to persuade an intruder to withdraw from the patrolled territory and the barking intensity increases.

They’ll treat the same way a predatory animal, a stranger, even more in case of a stranger dog.

• If you’re running / walking fast → Slow down when you’re passing nearby or passing any sheep/cattle flock from the distance. Stop, if it’s necessary - that is when the LGD starts to approach.

Fast moving object can alarm the LGD, which is going to respond immediately to dynamic changes in the neighborhood.Keep your distance. Behave calm.

• If you (intentionally or not) cut your way through the area where any sheep/cattle flock is grazing (even if they seem to be unguarded) → Turn around and turn back slowly. Stop, if it’s necessary - that is when the LGD is next to you and doesn’t go away.

Turning back you have a chance to avoid the confrontation with a large barking pastoral dog. Increase your distance. Behave calm.

• If your dog is runnig around unleashed → Call your dog to come back and put him/her on the leash, before you enter the unknown meadows. Generally, walk your dog on the long leash, if it’s necessary - everywhere, on every open or wild areas (such a meadow, forest).

Even more so, if your dog directly reached an encountered sheep/cattle flock (without a fence, a fence easy to jump/climb/crawl). Especially, if your dog starts approach the herd of animals and/or is barking on them. LGD is able to treat the dog outsider as a potential danger. In such situation the confrontation would be unavoidable.

🇪🇺 Remember!

• Livestock Guardian Dog IS WORKING on the pasture. It is not a tourist attraction! Do not provoke. Do not bother.

• LGD is working INDEPENDENTLY from any presence/absence of an owner/keeper/shepherd nearby (or anywhere at all).

• LGD working style is INSTINCTIVE and written in its working standard, which depends on patrolling, protection i deterrence. THAT’S WHY they are approaching, following and BARKING.

• Blocking of passage/entrance, „accompaniment” with barking and running ahead are that dog’s NATURAL behavior.

If you behave according to the rules, your meeting with the working LGD will stop with its warning barking, afterwards the dog will move away and come back to its pastoral work.

And yes, it is ok.

🇵🇱 ^Pamiętaj!

• ^{Duży pies pasterski na pastwisku PRACUJE. Nie jest atrakcją turystyczną! Nie prowokuj. Nie zaczepiaj.}

• ^{Pracuje NIEZALEŻNIE od (nie)obecności opiekuna/hodowcy/pasterza w pobliżu (albo w ogóle w okolicy).}

• ^{Styl pracy dużych psów pasterskich jest INSTYNKTOWNY i wpisany we wzorzec użytkowy. Polega na patrolowaniu, ochronie i odstraszaniu. DLATEGO podchodzą, podążają i SZCZEKAJĄ.}

• ^{Blokowanie przejścia/dostępu, “towarzyszenie” ze szczekaniem i wybieganie naprzód są dla tych psów NATURALNYM zachowaniem.}

^{Jeśli zachowasz się według reguł, spotkanie z dużym owczarkiem skończy się na ostrzeżeniu szczekaniem, po czym pies odejdzie do swoich pasterskich zajęć.}

^{I owszem, jest to ok.}

Akronim LGD [ang. Livestock Guarding Dog] definiuje psa przeznaczonego dedykowanym zwierzętom do ochrony, niczym tarcza.

Za ‘protoplastę’ uważany jest Tibetan Dog [dosłownie “pies tybetański”] poprzez swój historyczny związek z psami towarzyszącymi rzymskiej armii, zarekwirowanym dobytkom i prowiantowi. Miały one, sukcesywnie rozpraszane po odwiedzanych obszarach, zapoczątkować pierwotne typy dużych psów asystujących pasterzom i strzegących ludzkich siedzib.

Rzeczona teoria uzasadnia unifikację eksterieru i postury dużych psów pasterskich.

• Są to zwierzęta masywne (”psy dużych ras”) - zarówno gabarytowo (kościec, mięśnie), jak i dzięki ofutrzeniu (zgodnie z geografią i klimatem rejonu powstania rasy).

• Kamuflują dzięki umaszczeniu sierści

  • do warunków oferowanych przez środowisko (śnieg, skały, efekt zaspy/kamienia na trawie)

  • do chronionych, dedykowanych rasowo zwierząt (przewaga białej, szarej, płowej, piaskowej szaty)

• Dla wszystkich w typie strategiczne są - dyspozycyjność i kondycja psa stale preferującego przebywanie na zewnątrz (praca, żywienie, sypianie) oraz odporność na zmienne pogodowe i sezonowe (podszerstek, grubość skóry).

Predyspozycje, to cechy (dziedziczone lub nie) u psa pasterskiego pracującego – wg typu użytkowego, rasy, linii rodowodowej, indywidualnych możliwości (kolejność nieprzypadkowa).

Wilk szary, skądinąd zwierzę drapieżne pokrewne psu domowemu, polując realizuje kolejne elementy sekwencji drapieżnej – łańcucha wg wzorca zachowań*, którego krańcowym ogniwem ma być konsumpcja zabitej zwierzyny (lub jej ucieczka). Sekwencję tychże zachowań można podzielić na trzy funkcjonalne sekcje

• Wstępna (wybór ofiary) - eksplorowanie otoczenia, podążanie za tropem, ogólna aktywność sensoryczna (sygnał głodu od organizmu, bodziec środowiskowy, praca zmysłów).

• Dynamiczna (pościg z pochwyceniem) - wyjątkowo szybka, wiedziona motywacją dążenia do celu.

• Finalna (na martwej ofierze) - regeneracja sił, odpoczynek, podział zdobyczy (po sukcesie), wreszcie zjedzenie (w razie porażki gotowość do polowania na nowo).

Zgodnie z predyspozycjami, pies stróżujący na pastwisku powinien przerwać wilkowi realizację sekwencji zachowań drapieżnych, nie pozwalając tym samym na zaatakowanie wypasanych zwierząt. Interweniuje na wstępnych ogniwach, ZANIM nastąpi dynamiczna partia zawierająca atak.

• Lokalizowanie - moment, w którym bodziec fizjologiczny napędza dzikie zwierzę do poszukiwania pożywienia; migrowanie po okolicy

Pies pasterski patroluje teren lub przebywa pośród inwentarza. Pracuje autonomicznie albo współpracuje z innymi w grupie (celem rozproszenia grupy polujących wilków) - analizują zapach, nasłuchują, wypatrują, pozostają czujne.

• Śledzenie - drapieżnik podąża za zapachem; eksploruje w pobliżu; wyczuwalna obecność intruza

Pies pasterski odpowiada na zmiany w otoczeniu niskim, miarowym tonem szczekania, maskującym emocje - informuje psy lub pasterza/gospodarza, wysyła intruzowi komunikat w swojej gotowości.

• Skradanie - znieruchomienie; zaczajone podchodzenie; intruz rozpoznawalny w zasięgu węchu, wzroku i słuchu

Szczekanie przyspiesza, niezmiennie pewne siebie, bez zabarwień emocjonalnych. Dalsze działania psa pasterskiego zależą od eskalacji
– Zajmuje pozycję pomiędzy obiektem traktowanym jako zagrożenie a stadem chronionych zwierząt (blokowanie dostępu).
– Wybiega do przodu, jeśli intruz nadal skraca dystans (symulacja ataku).

Na tym etapie dziki drapieżnik ma zrezygnować; zadaniem psa pasterskiego jest uprzedzić zasadniczy atak, ponieważ centralna partia pościgowa po wystartowaniu przebiega nieprzerwanie i błyskawicznie, wzmacniana wstępnymi przygotowaniami oraz determinacją drapieżnika do zabicia.

Wzorcowy pies pasterski nie będzie dążył do konfrontacji za wszelką cenę - wówczas zostawiłby chronione stado bez ochrony. Z kolei, zdrowy, dorosły wilk jest z natury “oportunistą” - oszczędza energię, nie ryzykuje pochopnie. We wszelkich ostatecznych, konfliktowych sytuacjach zawodzi jakakolwiek “pertraktacja” – przeważają emocje i strategie przetrwania.**

UWAGA: Zarówno zwierzę drapieżne, jak i dowolna nieznana (bądź nierozpoznana) osoba (w tym pies biegający poza kontrolą opiekuna), zostaną potraktowani przez pracującego psa pasterskiego tak samo – jak intruz. Pies pasterski na pastwisku pracuje, nie przebywa tam dla towarzystwa!

*Tutaj omawiam kompletną sekwencję zachowań drapieżnych (teoria). W praktyce pewne ogniwa bywają pomijane (zależnie od kontekstu sytuacji), jednakże ich kolejność czy intencje zostają zachowane.
**Bezpośrednie konfrontacje pies-wilk z reguły skutkują ciężkimi ranami lub śmiercią po jednej ze stron lub po obu.

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

During the summer of 2019, the pack of 11 adults attended a den of pups near a popular hiking trail in the northeastern section of the park. Wanting to keep visitors and wolves apart, the park closed the den and surrounding area to the public. When the pups approached the trail and were in proximity to hikers, most people quickly moved away. However, some people violated the required 100-yard distance from wolves and approached the pups when they were on or near the trail to take a photo. Other people illegally entered the closed area to get near the wolves. Having grown accustomed to hikers, the pups then came close to visitors along a road.

— by NPS, 18.12.2019^[1]

Those reported details strongly suggest a human recurring appearance in the middle of those pups’ developmental management’s crucial stage, including a very short part of being socialisation-habituation extremely predisposed.

Back then, I found two interesting news during few days of browsing North American websites. One of them encouraged to observe wild Yellowstone wolf packs’ members as easy to notice on the fresh snow during consumption of hunted animal carcasses, in poetic company of scavenging birds (as competitive mesopredatory carnivores looking for their chance).^[2] Whereas another one informed about a pair of Yellowstone National Park’s wolf pups (confirmed as Junction Butte pack leading pair’s offspring) fatally hit by a vehicle when they hung around the road - their den was localized nearby - likely they’re used to human activity (sounds, smell, vision example).^[3]

In the NPS Yellowstone status, it stands clear:^[4]

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

Never feed wildlife. Animals that become dependent on human food may become aggressive toward people and have to be killed. Keep all food, garbage, or other smelly items packed away when not in use.

also

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

Never approach animals. The animals in Yellowstone are wild and unpredictable, no matter how calm they appear to be. The safest (and often best) view of wildlife is from inside a car. Always stay at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves, and at least 25 yards (23 m) away from all other animals, including bison and elk.

According to Yellowstone Park press releases, the “stay 100 yards away” rule was being repeatedly violated.

It made me think about Yellowstone wolves in particular. If they have shortened their flight zone - by adaptation to common visitors, scientists and wildlife observers presence nearby (entire tourism in general) - they’d treat the offered environment like their ecological niche. Trimmed in such way flight zone points to a habituation as an adaptation to human presence, what - accidentally or in specific conditions - allows to survive, temporarily or permanently (here comes a taming process).

Wildlife is a set of multiplicitous ecosystems of animals (fauna) and plants (flora) living there without a human influence or just not affected by human activity at all. Wild animals are not controlled by their natural environment, not tamed nor domesticated. Every species’ existence proceeds keeping with its nature instinctively.

Canis lupus species is an exemplary predator in its natural habitat, living in family packs each one - hunts (gaining food), stays safe (active / passive protection) and reproduces (offspring of the leading parent pair). To sum up - it can survive, when the one of conditions to be fulfilled is avoiding a human.

If an animal is able to not be scared of human presence in a relatively close distance, it means that its taming is possible. A tamed animal is a wild animal which previously adapted to humans in its natural way (socialization/habituation process).

What’s positive

• The animal is easy to observe, still living in the relatively natural habitat.

• Scientists, researchers and/or aware wolf lovers benefit for science, study and/or wolf advocacy (more knowledge, collected data, educated ranchers, farmers, citizens, social media sympathy).

And what’s negative

• The observer effect (Hawthorne effect) associates changes caused by wild animal’s awareness of being observed (optionally modified behavior), in consequence adaptation to the situation (feeling safe).

• Unstable / unpredictable behavior deviates from the ethogram,^[5] e.g. scavenging on garbage (resources reachable within ecological niche) instead of hunting destined preyed animals or approaching too close to potentially dangerous objects (limited avoidance).

Wild wolves’ situation within the European area is different from their distant fellows. American ones (Arctic, Timber and so on) are generally observed - they live mostly in vast treeless territories, migrating between hunters trophy zones, where is allowed to shoot them almost in every state. Wolves in Europe (Eurasian type) are difficult to encounter in wildlife - they migrate across the continent protected by EU in the membership countries, hunting their destined prey in deep forests.

Polish Association for Nature “WOLF” issued official rules dedicated to local residents, forest workers (forest rangers, foresters, lumberjacks), professionals (scientists, researchers, wolf watchers, wildlife photographers), common tourists and mushroom pickers - precisely describing point by point how to act properly, universally. It emphasizes: to not feed wild animals intentionally,^[5] to keep garbage secured, not leave food in camp places (even if they look cleaned up regularly), to take lunch leftovers away from forest workplaces and not set up temporary trashcans. The goal is to prevent making of the one of fundamental survival conditions any reason for ecological niche being adapted - a food resource reachability without a risk.

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

If you are a wildlife photographer or a hunter, never provide meat to bait animals near hideouts, observation towers or balconies. Wolves, thanks to their sensitive scent sense, can start to perceive humans as food management.

That rule concerns especially wolf youngsters (socialization/habituation aspect).

On the other hand, Polish road reports inform about approximately 50 wolves - among them some pups - confirmed fatally hit by car in 2019, in sections overlapping forest or field-forest areas.^[6] Those European accidents are strictly related to unlimited animal migrations - by wildlife corridors (far from human activity, hazard avoidance) or just across random roads if such corridor is not available (danger ignored by frightened or determined animals).

Ecotourism and proper education are essential here.

• Correctly interpreted ecotourism means the knowledge in practice - animal footprints to identify, ecosystem study / data collecting, trekking, hiking trips. It includes the ethical photography and wild animals observation from rigorous distance and in complete silence. If it progresses, ecotourism correlates to profits (cabins rental, guides payment, local souvenirs trade).

• Correctly educated person balances teaching and learning - human conflict decreases, wolf awareness increases. If it progresses, education is able to be passed in theory down to others (conversations, seminars), performed (social media, presentations, workshops) and as a result practiced by ecotourists.

Both of them should collaborate with each other.

^[1] NPS official release
^[2] NBC [Wyoming US, 16th Dec.2019]
^[3] OIL CITY NEWS [Montana US, 18th Dec.2019]
^[4] Scientific description of a structure typical for selected species behavioral model, including instinctive reactions, rigid patterns and elastic habits, complete them as an established standard.
^[5] Feeders functionality should be reconsidered paying attention to terms of their real necessity - scientifically and expertly justified.
^[6] Association for Nature “WOLF” [Poland, 31th Dec.2019]

Other sources:
Yellowstone National Park regulations about wolves

Subscribe now