Experts Push to Reintroduce Wild Dogs in Uttarakhand Forests, Absent Since 2018
Wildlife conservationists, including a Wildlife Institute of India scientist, are urging reintroduction of dholes, or Asiatic wild dogs, which have not been sighted in the state since 2018.
Current Summary
Wildlife conservationists and biodiversity experts are raising concerns over the disappearance of dholes, or Asiatic wild dogs, from Uttarakhand's forests, where they were last sighted in 2018. Bilal Habib, a senior scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun, said efforts should be made to reintroduce the species, calling it a vital component of the forest ecosystem and food chain. He noted dholes were still observed in parts of Uttarakhand as recently as 15-20 years ago. The species, scientifically known as Cuon alpinus, is more commonly found in the Western and Eastern Ghats, central India and northeast India, with smaller, fragmented populations historically recorded in the Himalaya. Experts say the species' potential local extinction would disrupt the natural balance of the state's wildlife, prompting deliberation over conservation and reintroduction strategies.
What We Know
- Dholes have not been sighted in Uttarakhand since 2018.
- A Wildlife Institute of India scientist has called for efforts to reintroduce the species.
- Dholes were observed in parts of the state as recently as 15-20 years ago.
- The species is listed by the IUCN and is more commonly found in the Western and Eastern Ghats and central India.
What Is Still Unclear
- Whether the state Forest Department has a formal reintroduction plan or timeline.
- What caused the species' disappearance from Uttarakhand's forests.
What Changed
- 23 Oct, 12:32 pmSignal detected: Experts Push to Reintroduce Wild Dogs in Uttarakhand Forests, Absent Since 2018