[carlhu]

I know this is a downer, but given that the article states that 18% of the population are "elite" after 10 generations, and there are 2000 elite foxes now, doesn't "strong selection pressure" imply there were around 10K-30K individuals culled in this project for not belonging to "elite"? Is this normal breeding practice? Speaking as a somewhat guilty owner of a beloved papillon-breed dog.

[TheSpiceIsLife]

I think your probably right. But then, 3.8 million animals were killed in Australia in September alone for human consumption.[1]

Although I do feel a bit moralistic about dog breeds that have been selected for specific physical appearance characteristics without much apparent attention given to the animals health. Pugs are a good (bad) example, the RSPCA takes a pretty dim view.[2]

Papillons have only minor health concerns although patellar luxation, seizures, and dental problems can be issues. Additionally they can be at risk for PRA, intervertebral disk disease, and allergies. [3]

It amazes me a bit that "dogs" are all the one species, Canis familiaris (which translates from Latin to 'family dog', cute). I wonder what we could do with humans if we selectively bread them for hundreds of generations.

1. http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/7218.0.55 2. http://www.rspca.org.au/campaigns/pedigree-dogs/the-pug 3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papillon_(dog)#Health

[_yosefk]

I wonder what humans could do with "us" (you? them?) if "we" selectively bread them for hundreds of generations!

[danieltillett]

They were kept for fur so culling would have been the normal outcome. In regards culling for breeding purposes you don't have to physical kill the unwanted individual, you just don't let them breed.

[maxerickson]

The modern population reproduces elite at a higher rate, 70 to 80%, and was grown from the ~100 foxes that the breeders were able to keep in 1998.

So the 2,000 that they have today doesn't say much about how many foxes they were breeding in the earlier generations (but over 50 generations the numbers culled probably do get into the thousands).