What geographical feature acted as a strong selective barrier ensuring the Laika's genetic purity?
Answer
Expansive, severe Siberian wilderness
The ancient Yakutian Laika maintained a high degree of genetic purity for centuries due to significant geographic isolation. The environment surrounding the traditional homelands of the Sakha people—characterized by its vastness and extreme severity—functioned as a powerful natural barrier. This barrier restricted the introduction of outside genetic material, ensuring that breeding occurred primarily within the local stock. Consequently, only dogs genetically suited to thrive under the specific demands of that local environment and the functional needs of the hunters and herders survived and reproduced.
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