Asiatic Wild Dog ‘Dhole’ Sighted for First Time in Ratapani Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh

A rare Asiatic Wild Dog (Dhole) is sighted for the first time in Ratapani Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, recently. The sighting places focus on the species’ presence in this tiger reserve and its conservation-relevant status.

Asiatic Wild Dog (Dhole) :

Dimension	Key Details
Taxonomic family	Comprises a wild Asian carnivore of the dog family (Canidae)
Scientific name	Cuon alpinus
Other names	Indian wild dog; whistling dog; red wolf; red dog; mountain wolf
Distribution - Asia	Found throughout Central, Eastern and Southeastern Asia
Distribution - India clusters	Western and Eastern Ghats; Central Indian landscape; Northeast India
Stronghold regions	Western and Eastern Ghats are stronghold regions
Habitats	Inhabits dense jungles; steppes; mountains; scrub forests; pine forests
Physical features	Sleek, reddish-brown, medium-sized dog; measures up to around 20 inches; bushy black tail adds up to a foot and a half
Sexual dimorphism	Males are generally more muscular than females
Social structure	Tends to live in groups ranging from 2–25 individuals
Abilities	Fast runners; excellent swimmers; impressive jumpers
Communication	Uses an eerie whistle to communicate
Conservation status	‘Endangered’ under the IUCN Red List