Rare dholes spotted in Chincholi

A recent scientific study conducted by Dr Sanjay Gubbi and his team from the Nature Conservation Foundation and the Holématthi Nature Foundation has made notable discoveries regarding dholes (Cuon alpinus) in the Kalyana-Karnataka region, specifically within the Chincholi Wildlife Sanctuary (134.8 km²). The camera trapping study, carried out between October and November 2023 to assess the leopard population, unexpectedly recorded the presence of dholes, alongside 24 other wild mammalian species in the Kalaburagi district sanctuary.

Gubbi said, “The dholes were not limited to the sanctuary; they were also observed in the adjacent reserved forests of Devagiri-Changler, Saalebeeranahalli, and Bashipur in the Bidar district. The presence of dholes in both Kalaburgi and Bidar districts is significant, as it confirms the area’s unique distinction of hosting all four canid species found in Karnataka: dholes, wolves, golden jackals, and Bengal foxes.”

Dholes, classified as an Endangered species by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List, have fewer than 2,500 mature individuals remaining, making them potentially rarer than tigers across their distribution.