Bhubaneshwar, July 15 (UNI) Authorities in Odisha’s Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary have sighted a pair of endangered wild dogs amid a dwindling population of these Schedule-1 protected animals.
Deforestation-induced habitat loss, rapid urbanisation, and dwindling prey population base have led to a fall in the population of these animals.
After more than a decade, a wild dog first reappeared in Debrigarh Sanctuary during the inters of 2023, but its number remained ‘one’ continuously until a pair of Wild dogs (a male & a female) was captured on camera traps on 14 July, said Anshu Pragyan Das, Divisional Forest Officer, Hirakud wildlife division.
The sighting assumes significance as wild dogs, locally called dhole, are rarely seen in the region. It has rekindled hopes for Debrigarh to become their permanent home.
Initially, the lone wild dog confined its movement to the core area of Debrigarh Sanctuary. However, during winters in 2023 and 2024, it started roaming around the tourism zone of the sanctuary, making itself visible to a number of tourists during the safari.
Its mobility and home range were mostly confined to 30 to 40 square kilometres throughout a season.
Debrigarh records a healthy population of prey base for wild dogs with an increasing number of fawns and calves in Sambar, Chittal, wild boar herds this year, besides plenty of small mammals and other animals in its forest.
Though the population of Indian Bison is healthy inthe Sanctuary, it is not a preferred prey for wild dogs unless a situation arises. Food-source competition is equally high as this Sanctuary records a good population of leopards, more than 80 in numbers (due to dietary overlap with Wild dogs). It also has a healthy population of hyenas which potentially kills wild dogs.
In 2023, for the first time, a wolf was recorded in the Sanctuary & till now, the single wolf is seen moving in the core area.
Survival of a single animal with dominant competitors in this sanctuary was considerably less. But the sighting of the pair has bolstered the prospect of these animals, added the officials.
