Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Population ecology of free-ranging urban dogs in West Bengal, India

  • Published:
Acta Theriologica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A population of urban free-ranging dogsCanis familiaris Linnaeus, 1758 was studied in Katwa, West Bengal, India. The analysis of changes in the density of the dog population over a period of 4 years revealed a considerable stability of this population. Mean (±SD)2 seasonal population density was 185±19 dogs/km2, ranging from 156 to 214 dogs/km2. A sex ratio of 1.37∶1 in favour of male was recorded in this study. High mortality (67%) occurred under the age of 4 months, and 82% mortality occurred within the age of 1 year. Among the adults, 24% mortality under the age of 2.6 year was recorded. Only a single breeding cycle and synchronization of breeding was observed. Immigration was observed as a crucial factor affecting the stability of this population.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Beck A. M. 1971. The life and times of shag, a feral dog in Baltimore. Natural History 84: 58–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck A. M. 1973. The ecology of stray dogs: a study of free-ranging urban animals. York Press, Baltimore: 1–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck A. M. 1975. The ecology of ‘feral’ and free-ranging dogs in Baltimore. [In: The wild canids: Their systematics, behavioural ecology and evolution. M. W. Fox, ed]. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York: 380–390.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bekoff M. 1977. Mammalian dispersal and the ontogeny of individual behavioural phenotypes. The American Naturalist 111: 715–732.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bekoff M. 1979. Scent-marking by domestic dogs. Biology of Behaviour 4: 123–139.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berman M. and Dunbar I. 1983. The social behaviour of free-ranging suburban dogs. Applied Animal Ethology 10: 5–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boitani L., Francisci F., Ciucci P. and Andreoli G. 1995. Population biology and ecology of feral dogs in Central Italy. [In: The domestic dog: Its evolution, behaviour and interactions with people. J. Serpell, ed]. Cambridge University Press, New York: 217–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boitani L. and Racana A. 1984. Indagine eco-etologica sulla popolazione di cani domestici e randagi di due comuni della Basilicata. Silva Lucana, Bari 3: 1–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Causey M. K. and Cude C. A. 1980. Feral dog and white tailed deer interactions in Alabama. The Journal of Wildlife Management 44: 481–484.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daniels T. J. 1983. The social organization of free-ranging urban dogs. 1: non-estrous social behaviour. Applied Animal Ethology 10: 341–361.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daniels T. J. and Bekoff M. 1989. Population and social biology of free-ranging dogs,Canis familiaris. Journal of Mammalogy 70: 754–762.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis D. E. and Winstead R. L. 1980. Estimating the numbers of wildlife populations. [In: Wildlife management techniques manual (4th ed.). S. D. Schemnitz, ed]. The Wildlife Society, Washington: 221–245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Font E. 1987. Spacing and social organization: Urban stray dogs revisited. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 17: 319–328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fox M. W. 1978. The dog: Its domestication and behaviour. Garland STMP Press, New York: 1–296.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghosh B., Choudhuri D. K. and Pal B. 1984. Some aspects of the sexual behaviour of stray dogs,Canis familiaris. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 13: 113–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones E. and Stevens P. L. 1988. Reproduction in wild canids,Canis familiaris from the eastern highlands of Victoria. Australian Wildlife Research 15: 385–394.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kirk R. W. 1977. Current veterinary therapy. [In: Small animal practice. Vol. VI. W. B. Saunders, ed]. Philadelphia: 1–1418.

  • Kleiman D. G. 1968. Reproduction in the Canidae. International Zoo Yearbook 8: 1–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kleiman D. G. and Eisenberg J. F. 1973. Comparisons of canid and felid social systems from an evolutionary perspectives. Animal Behaviour 21: 637–659.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Macdonald D. W. and Carr G. M. 1995. Variation in the dog society: Between resource dispersion and social flux. [In: The domestic dog: Its evolution, behaviour and interactions with people. J. Serpell, ed]. Cambridge University Press, New York: 199–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakada A., Fujita T. and Sato H. 1996. A case study of home range and habitat use in 3 free-ranging dogs: Effects of past histories. Journal of Ethology 14: 139–143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nesbitt W. H. 1975. Ecology of a feral dog pack on a wildlife refuge. [In: The wild canids: Their systematics, behavioural ecology and evolution. M. W. Fox, ed]. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York: 391–396.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oppenheimer E. C. and Oppenheimer J. R. 1975. Certain behavioural features in the pariah dog,Canis familiaris in West Bengal. Applied Animal Ethology 2: 81–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pal S. K. 1999a. Some aspects of ecology and behaviour of free-ranging urban dogs,Canis familiaris. Ph D thesis, Burdwan University, Burdwan: 1–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pal S. K. 1999b. Reproduction in free-ranging dogs,Canis familiaris in West Bengal, India. XXVI International Ethological Conference, Bangalore 1999: 171.

  • Pal S. K., Ghosh B. and Roy S. 1998a. Agonistic behaviour of free-ranging dogs,Canis familiaris in relation to season, sex and age. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 59: 331–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pal S. K., Ghosh B. and Roy S. 1998b. Dispersal behaviour of free-ranging dogs,Canis familiaris in relation to age, sex, season and dispersal distance. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 61: 123–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pal S. K., Ghosh B. and Roy S. 1999. Inter- and intro- sexual behaviour of free-ranging dogs,Canis familiaris. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 62: 267–278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rubin H. D. and Beck A. M. 1982. Ecological behaviour of free-ranging urban pet dogs. Applied Animal Ethology 8: 161–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saunders G., White C. L., Harris S. and Rainier J. M. V. 1993. Urban foxes (Vulpes vulpes): food acquisition, time and energy budgeting of a generalized predator. Symposia of the Zoological Society of London 65: 215–234.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott M. D. and Causey K. 1973. Ecology of feral dogs in Alabama. The Journal of Wildlife Management 17: 253–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Voigt D. R. and Macdonald D. W. 1984. Variation in the spatial and social behaviour of the red fox,Vulpes vulpes. Acta Zoologica Fenica 171: 261–265.

    Google Scholar 

  • Westbrook W. and Allen R. 1979. Animal field research. [In: The handbook of animal welfare. R. D. Allen and W. H. Westbrook, eds]. Garland STMP Press, New York: 148–167.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Katwa Bharati Bhaban, P.O.-Katwa, 713 130, Dist.-Burdwan, (W.B.), India

    Sunil Kumar Pal

Authors
  1. Sunil Kumar Pal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pal, S.K. Population ecology of free-ranging urban dogs in West Bengal, India. Acta Theriol 46, 69–78 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03192418

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03192418

Key words

Search

Navigation