Impact of Feral Dogs on Wildlife Community

Feral dogs are effective predators that are widespread and highly abundant in mammalian taxa and occur in various habitats like urban rural and forest areas. Predation by dogs has a significant impact on rare and endangered amphibians reptiles birds and mammals. They are also responsible for the dramatic decline of wild ungulate and deer populations around the world. Feral dogs have the potential to spread disease in terrestrial & aquatic environment and parasitic infection to wild animals. Due to the excessive density and population of feral dogs there are reduced chances of breeding success and juvenile survival rate in ground nesting birds and mammals. Feral dogs are also responsible for the extinction of threatened and endemic wild animal species in particular regions. The current study suggests that controlling feral dog populations by neutering and eradicating them from natural habitats and protected areas is urgently needed.