Abi Tamim Vanak (Ph.D.)

Email: abivanak@mizzou.edu or abivanak@gmail.com

Advisor: Matthew E. Gompper

Competitive dynamics between free-ranging domestic dogs and native Indian foxes in India

Mammalian carnivores can dramatically influence ecosystems. Yet the world’s most common carnivore, the domestic dog, is rarely studied in an ecological context, especially in developing countries where very large typically free-ranging dog populations are able to interact directly with wildlife, thus increasing risks to biodiversity preservation. My research examines interactions between domestic dogs and wildlife in south-central India, focussing in particular on endangered native fauna such as the Indian fox which may be negatively influenced by free-ranging dogs. Interactions between dogs and foxes are of particular interest, as theoretical and empirical work from temperate zone ecosystems suggests that large mammalian carnivores and canids in particular, should have negative impacts on smaller carnivores such as foxes. A two-pronged approach is proposed to understanding the dog-wildlife interactions in rural India. First, a one year telemetry-based study will define the ranging patterns of dogs and the interactions that dogs have with foxes. Second, a series of experimental analyses will examine the effects of domestic dogs on fox behavior and ecology. This work will provide immediate applied and theoretical insights by identifying how free-ranging dog populations interact with wildlife. It will also provide background data for obtaining broader funding for studies examining the interactions of carnivore species in biodiverse and poorly studied tropical ecosystems.