Dog walking: good for you, good for your pet.
Not so good for birds, apparently.
Australian researchers have found that walking leashed dogs along woodland paths leads to a significant reduction in the number and diversity of birds in the area, at least over the short term.
Peter B. Banks and Jessica V. Bryant of the University of New South Wales surveyed birds along woodland trails near Sydney shortly after dogs were walked on them or after people walked alone. All kinds of dogs were involved, big and small, purebred and mutt. As a control, they also surveyed birds on trails that no one, human or canine, had recently walked on.
Dr. Banks said the study was an outgrowth of his interest in predator-prey interactions. “Here you have a predator that is being walked through the bush quite regularly,” he said.
The researchers chose trails in places where dogs were banned and in other areas where dog walking was common, expecting different results in each. “We thought that where there was regular dog walking birds would get used to it,” Dr. Banks said. “Well, they didn’t.”
Regardless of the type of area, dog walking led to a 35 percent reduction in the number of bird species and a 41 percent reduction in overall bird numbers, compared with the control. (People walking alone caused some disturbance, but less than half that caused by people with dogs.)
Yellowstone and Grand Teton ban pets most places. Dogs are welcome where cars go, but not on trails. This probably serves two purposes: dogs chase critters, bears think dogs are tasty.
The squirrels and chipmunks around the cabins we stayed in were not scared away. In fact, I caught squirrels taunting the dogs more than once. On one little walk Gracie was being very good ignoring the squirrels. Then two of them scampered back and forth across the road just in front of us, playing with each other. One even jumped over the other in a little game of "leap squirrel". It was too much for a dog to take.
I'm not taking Batty to the Tree Museum opening this weekend because I fear a mass slaughter of woodchucks and chipmunks.
(actually I fear more what comes out of the other end since that's my responsibility in the city)
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- bill 9-11-2007 4:58 pm
Yellowstone and Grand Teton ban pets most places. Dogs are welcome where cars go, but not on trails. This probably serves two purposes: dogs chase critters, bears think dogs are tasty.
The squirrels and chipmunks around the cabins we stayed in were not scared away. In fact, I caught squirrels taunting the dogs more than once. On one little walk Gracie was being very good ignoring the squirrels. Then two of them scampered back and forth across the road just in front of us, playing with each other. One even jumped over the other in a little game of "leap squirrel". It was too much for a dog to take.
- mark 9-12-2007 12:56 am [add a comment]
I'm not taking Batty to the Tree Museum opening this weekend because I fear a mass slaughter of woodchucks and chipmunks.
(actually I fear more what comes out of the other end since that's my responsibility in the city)
- L.M. 9-12-2007 1:42 am [add a comment]