“Man’s best friend” they may be. But for wildlife, the domestication and proliferation of dogs has had a disastrous impact.

Following rats and cats, dogs are now the third worst human-introduced predator in some parts of the world.

There are an estimated 1 billion dogs living around the globe, and they are now believed to threaten almost 200 species worldwide, including some critically endangered animals, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Conservationists are particularly concerned about the rising number of feral or “free-ranging” dogs living in some regions.

Eduardo Silva-Rodriguez, author of a study in Chile which examined the patterns in the abundance of stray dogs in relation to human demography, told the BBC: "Predation and harassment by dogs has been documented for the majority of larger terrestrial mammals that inhabit Chile, including the three species of canids (mammals from the dog family) and three species of deer.”

Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs: in pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs: in pictures Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs: in pictures Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs A dog and wild boar fight during a contest Beawiharta/Reuters Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs: in pictures Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs A dog handler leans on a dog cage during a fight Beawiharta/Reuters Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs: in pictures Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs The contest is known locally as ‘adu bagong’ Beawiharta/Reuters Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs: in pictures Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs Villagers in Majalaya, West Java watch a fight Beawiharta/Reuters Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs: in pictures Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs Breeder Agus Badud’s daughter carries a dog to be washed at their house Beawiharta/Reuters Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs: in pictures Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs Villagers watch the spectacle on a bamboo stage Beawiharta/Reuters Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs: in pictures Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs Dog breeder Agus Badud washes his dog at his house in Majalaya Beawiharta/Reuters Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs: in pictures Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs Contests are fought for a cash prize of up to £1,500 Reuters Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs: in pictures Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs Badud’s dog sits in his cage after being washed Beawiharta/Reuters Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs: in pictures Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs Hooves of a wild boar hang for dog training at Badud’s house Beawiharta/Reuters Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs: in pictures Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs Badud’s family sit near the cage of their dog as a fight takes place Beawiharta/Reuters Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs: in pictures Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs A dog handler cleans blood from his dog which bit a boar in a fight Beawiharta/Reuters Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs: in pictures Indonesian villages pit wild boars against dogs Badud’s wife and daughter wash dogs at their house Beawiharta/Reuters

His research From Pets to Strays, suggested an “urgent” response was required to curb the impacts of feral dogs.

The IUCN estimates of the 200 species at risk from free-ranging and feral dogs, 30 are critically endangered, 71 are endangered, and a further 81 are listed as vulnerable.

Nearly half of these species are mammals, 78 of them are birds, 22 reptiles and three amphibians, the BBC reports.

As well as being a direct threat to animals by hunting them, dogs are also carriers of disease, can have significant impacts on fragile ecosystems, can compete with other vulnerable animals for prey, and in the case of wolves, can interbreed with them, threatening the longevity and integrity of the wolf population.

Dealing with the problem is also a thorny issue, with culls said to be inefficient as dogs simply move to areas where there is less competition for resources.