Scientists carry out first-ever documentation of dholes in Kalyana-Karnataka

The sanctuary consisting of dry deciduous forest and lateritic grasslands is a unique wildlife habitat in the Kalyana-Karnataka region. Notified as a wildlife sanctuary in 2011, it is also the northern most protected area in Karnataka. Key large prey species found in the region include chital, blackbuck, four-horned antelope, and nilgai.

Wildlife biologist Dr. Sanjay Gubbi and his team from the Nature Conservation Foundation and the Holématthi Nature Foundation in Chincholi Wildlife Sanctuary in Kalaburagi have documented the presence of dholes (wild dogs) in the Kalyana-Karnataka region. According to the team, this is the first-ever documentation of dholes in the region.

Kalaburagi and Bidar districts have the distinction of hosting all four wildlife species from the Canidae family found in Karnataka. These include dholes, wolves, golden jackal and Bengal fox.

The camera trapping study carried out during October-November 2023 was intended to understand the population of leopards in the region.

While only one leopard was documented in the area, the study interestingly resulted in the unanticipated documentation of dholes.

According to an official statement from the team, dholes - with less than 2,500 mature individuals - are notified as an endangered species by the IUCN Redlist and are perhaps rarer than tigers across their distributional range.

Post this study, dholes were also recorded by the camera traps set in the sanctuary by the Karnataka Forest Department.

Apart from the Chincholi Wildlife Sanctuary, dholes were also recorded in the adjoining reserved forests of Devagiri-Changler, Saalebeeranahalli, and Bashipur Reserved Forests in Bidar district.