A comprehensive study on the population dynamics of stray dogs, wild foxes, and rodents in the western desert of Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Agricultural Harmful Animals, Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt

2 Desert Research Centre, 1 Mataf El Matareya St, El Matareya, Cairo, Egypt.

Abstract

Stray dogs, foxes and rodents contribute to serious health problems in human societies around the world. Before any necessary interventions to control them, an accurate estimate of their populations should be attained. This study investigates the population dynamics of dogs, foxes, and rodents in the western desert regions at Kalabsha, Umbaraka, Razzak, and Abu Gharadig localities from June 2022 to February 2024. Monthly observations revealed that 1447 dogs were sighted, with a trap index peaking at 22.7% in July 2022 and declining to 2.0% in August 2023. Fox sightings were less frequent, with notable peaks in Autumn 2022 and Spring 2023. Rodent captures exhibited a substantial peak in July 2022 (59.14%), followed by a decline to a low in May 2023 (5.0%). Seasonal and regional variations in sightings can be due to the influences of environmental factors and human activities. Abu Gharadig and Razzak consistently reported higher dog and rodent sightings, while Kalabsha and Umbaraka documented more fox sightings. The statistical analyses show significant differences in abundance across the investigated localities for dogs (p<0.048), foxes (p<0.005), and rodents (p<0.001). The diversity indices indicated moderate species richness and evenness, with Simpson's Diversity Index at 0.576 and Shannon's Diversity Index at 0.699. These findings highlight the complex interactions between the investigated species and their environments, emphasizing the need for tailored conservation and management strategies. The results highlight the need for a science-based policy to control and manage their populations in the study areas as well as in other localities of Egypt.

Keywords

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics