Dhole or Asiatic wild dog, an endangered large carnivore, in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. Study finds the sanctuary is host to nearly 50 individuals A recent study on dhole or Asiatic wild dog, an endangered large carnivore, has found that the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WSS), a major habitat of elephants and tigers, is also host to a good number of dholes. The first ever study on the carnivore organised by the Wildlife Conservation Society–India, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, University of Florida, and Stanford University has found that the sanctuary has close to 50 dholes. “Ours is the first attempt to estimate dhole populations through targeted surveys designed specifically for this species. The results suggest that Wayanad supports high densities of the dhole. A recent tiger survey showed that the sanctuary also has a relatively large tiger population, with 11 to 13 animals per 100 sq km. The fact that two large carnivores can coexist in such high densities is indicative of an abundant prey base and high quality habitat. It is also a testament to good sanctuary management of the Forest Department,” says Arjun Srivathsa, lead author of the study. Until now, […]
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