Are you one of those sensitive conservation-minded individuals who goes crazy when they see dogs off lead running through the woods? Feel self-righteous about keeping your dog on her lead and think you are a good conservationist for it? Well, think again. Just when you thought it was safe to walk your dog on a lead pretty much anywhere, scientists at the University of New South Wales discover that walking dogs anywhere in a fairly wild area – even on a lead – can lead to diminished nesting of birds and diminished wildlife biodiversity. We all love dogs, but they are predators, and even when we do our best to keep Rover under control outside, ground nesting birds clear out of the way when there is the presence of dogs around. And even when we are careful about our dog outside, we should at least be aware of the impact our beloved pets have on wild birds. You can check out this article on ENN (Environmental News Network) to see more interesting details on how sensitive some birds are to any animal they consider to be a predator.

Photo credit ENN