Dhole: Asiatic Wild Dog

In News

• A recent study has identified priority areas where habitats can be consolidated to enhance population connectivity for the dhole or Asiatic Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus).

Dhole or Asiatic Wild Dog

• About:
  • The dhole is found in a wide variety of habitat types, including deciduous and evergreen forests and alpine steppe.
• Prevalence in India:
  • The dhole or Asiatic Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus) is found in three clusters across India namely the Western and Eastern Ghats, central Indian landscape and North East India.
  • The Western and Eastern Ghats is a stronghold region for dholes. 
• Range:
  • Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Tajikistan, Thailand, VietNam
• Threats:
  • Loss of forest cover, depletion of prey base, persecution and possibly disease transfer from domestic and feral dogs.
  • The main preys for the dhole are ungulates, which have also suffered high depletion of their population across the dhole’s range.
• Conservation status:
  • IUCN status: Endangered
  • CITES: Appendix II
  • It is protected under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 in India.

Image Courtesy: Wiki