Wild Dog Urine Contains Secret Messages

SYDNEY - Australian scientists create artificial urine on wild dogs. They hope to use to keep wild dogs away from people and prevent them to eat the livestock, thus avoiding the losses that spend millions of dollars annually.

The researchers said the chemical messages contained in the urine of wild dogs is known to work to assert their territory, so as not to enter or be bothered by other wild dogs. It is a biological boundary that was created for dogs and other wild animals can not cross each other and enter it.

"We hope this will be a non-lethal tool to manage wild dogs in Australia," said Alan Robley, senior research scientist at the Department of Sustainbility and Environment, which is funded by government agencies.

These chemicals can be used as a protector that is not lethal to keep wild animals entering the yard of the house and protect farm animals, like sheep from wild dog attacks. Similarly, as quoted by the Straits Times, Saturday (08/06/2011).

Animals use chemical messages to inform about their social status. Such messages include whether sexually they in good condition and ready for reproduction, as well as things about their food. Later messages coming from the chemicals will be expressed solely by them.

Scientists collect the urine of wild dogs that have been captured. Both males and females, adult dogs and small dogs. Urine is then sent to a lab where they will extract a molecule to mark the different chemicals in the form of urine.

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