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Miami Herald
a day ago
- Science
- Miami Herald
Endangered creature — thought missing from India forest — rediscovered. See it
Covering more than 9,500 square miles of land in northeastern India, the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Landscape, or KKAL, is fragmented. The land is a 'complex mosaic of protected and non-protected areas' and is pieced together by a series of natural corridors, according to a study published June 26 in the peer-reviewed Journal of Threatened Taxa. During a reconnaissance survey along these interconnected corridors of land, researchers set up camera traps to capture and identify animals that may be using the pathways to move between the islands of natural land, according to the study. What they didn't expect was to rediscover a species once thought missing in the region. From February 2021 to December 2022, a total of 83 camera traps captured 15,278 'camera-trap days' of images, according to the study. Six of these photos were different from the others. Captured by camera traps for the first time in October 2022, the images show an Asiatic wild dog, or dhole, passing in front of the lens, researchers said. 'This was the only instance where we captured a Dhole on camera in the landscape during the study period,' researchers said. '... The habitat consists of moist mixed deciduous forest, dominated by teak.' The sighting marks the first photo evidence of a dhole in the region after it was 'extirpated,' or eliminated, in the 1990s, researchers said. Dholes are listed as an endangered species, according to the study, and are protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act from 1972. They were once abundant across the Tian Shan and Altai mountains in Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan, as well as further south through China, Tibet, Nepal and India, according to the study. Their range has shrunk significantly from threats like 'retaliatory killing, habitat loss, and prey depletion,' researchers said. Less than 25% of their original range still stands today. Dholes are dogs and communal hunters, typically traveling in packs of up to 30 animals but can hunt alone or in pairs when prey is scarce, according to the study. They are about the size of a German shepherd, but look more like a fox with elongated legs, according to the San Diego Zoo. 'Dholes are incredibly athletic. They are fast runners, excellent swimmers and impressive jumpers,' the zoo said. 'These skills are critical when the pack is hunting. In some protected areas, they share habitat with tigers and leopards.' They are sometimes called whistle dogs because of an 'eerie whistle' they use to communicate with one another, according to the San Diego Zoo. They also make clucks and screams that are unique to these dogs. The KKAL is in the Assam state of India, a northeastern state south of Bhutan and China. The research team includes Mujahid Ahamad, Jyotish Ranjan Deka, Priyanka Borah, Umar Saeed, Ruchi Badola and Syed Ainul Hussain.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Science
- The Hindu
Asiatic wild dog returns to Assam's Kaziranga landscape
The dhole, or Asiatic wild dog (Cuon alpinus), believed to have been locally exterminated, has made a confirmed return to Assam's Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Landscape (KKAL), according to a new study by scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). The findings, published in the latest issue of the Journal of Threatened Taxa, indicate that this elusive and less charismatic carnivore may have gone unnoticed for an extended period, despite its ecological significance. 'India is experiencing a decline in wildlife species due to habitat loss, deforestation, and climate change. Species once thought to be extirpated from certain areas are being rediscovered, offering hope for conservation efforts,' the study notes. Mujahid Ahamad, Jyotish Ranjan Deka, Priyanka Borah, Umar Saeed, Ruchi Badola, and Syed Ainul Hussain are the authors of the study, which highlights the first-ever camera-trap evidence of the endangered canid in the Amguri corridor of the KKAL. 'This finding is significant as it highlights the ecological value of the corridor in supporting threatened species,' said Dr. Ruchi Badola, Dean of WII's Faculty of Wildlife Sciences, speaking to The Hindu. 'Dholes require large, undisturbed forest habitats, and their presence here confirms the need to conserve this dynamic wildlife corridor, which also supports tigers, leopards, elephants, and other species.' 'With increasing threats from habitat loss and fragmentation, this discovery is a timely reminder of why these forest linkages must be protected and restored for the long-term survival of India's lesser-known carnivores,' she added. The study, conducted in 2022, focused on four key animal corridors within the 25,000 sq. km KKAL, which lies within the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot. These corridors include Panbari, Haldhibari, Kanchanjuri, and Amguri. The dhole was photo-captured on six occasions in the Amguri corridor. All images were of a single individual, recorded 375 metres from National Highway 37 and approximately 270 metres from the nearest human settlement. Dholes are social animals known to form packs of up to 30 individuals. However, depending on prey availability, they may also hunt alone or in pairs. The current distribution of the dhole is restricted to parts of Central and Eastern Asia, including India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, China, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. Its global range, however, is now less than a quarter of its historical extent, significantly reduced due to threats such as habitat degradation, prey depletion, and retaliatory killings. The last confirmed sighting of dholes in northeast India was reported from Nagaland in 2011.
