Feral Dog Chasing Blackbuck, Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat

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This image of a feral dog (Canis lupus familiaris) chasing a blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) was taken in Thol Lake Bird Sanctuary, Gujarat. Feral dog-wildlife conflict is a significant threat to wildlife and ecosystems in India and globally. Domestic dogs are the most abundant and widespread terrestrial carnivores and there are an estimated 60 million dogs in India. 

Many dogs roam with impunity in and around buffer zones of Protected Areas where they form large formidable packs … Read More

A Leopard’s Meal – the Ubiquitous Feral Dog

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On September 19, 2020, while exiting the forest after wrapping up our afternoon safari in Bandipur Tiger Reserve, we noticed a free-ranging/feral dog enter the park from the highway. Although we tried our best to chase it back towards where it came from, it ventured deeper inside the forest. We were quite concerned as we had just sighted a tiger cub near a waterhole, 500m from the highway.

The next day, we skipped the morning safari and drove around the … Read More

Precious Amrit Mahal Kavals are not Wastelands

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Amrit Mahal Kavals are semi-arid grasslands in Karnataka that were set aside several centuries ago, during the Vijayanagara empire, and protected as grazing grounds for a sturdy local breed of cattle known as Amrit Mahal, which was once highly prized as a military draught animal. The protection of these grasslands was continued by subsequent rulers, including Hyder Ali, Tippu Sultan, and the Maharajas of Mysore, as well as the British during their colonial reign in India. Although these grasslands … Read More

Another One Bites the Dust

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Asian palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) is a nocturnal and very rarely seen animal. Although listed as least concern in IUCN’s red list, this is increasingly being poached, and traded illegally. Sadly, most sightings of late have been that of dead civets.

This berry and fruit-eating omnivore has a gastrointestinal tract with the power to ferment coffee beans, improving the caffeine content. This power is one of its biggest threats, as it is “bought” to produce kopi luwalk or civet coffee.… Read More

Desert Highway becomes Death Trap – Urgent Action Needed!

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This image was taken near Diyatra village, 59 km outside Bikaner en route to Phalodi, in May 2018. Other dogs around it appeared to be well-fed and resting under Prosopis trees and this single individual was feeding on leftovers.

This highway stretch between Bikaner – Phalodi had been recently converted to a four-lane highway (55 km) and 100 km of it was widened to an extra 10 feet. This possibly triggered a lot of wildlife road kills as well.  Stray … Read More

Wolves Chased by Dogs, Pune Grasslands

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Grasslands are always neglected and, more often than not, deemed to be ‘wastelands’. In reality, grasslands are a treasure trove of biodiversity. And it is in these spaces that one of India’s endangered species thrives – the Indian Wolf (Canis lupus pallipes). The wolf has adapted to living in close proximity to humans, as it gets an advantage of being able to prey on livestock or domestic fowl.

But with this benefit comes a bane, in the form of … Read More

A Free Meal — Conflict between Wolves and Feral Dogs

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My passion is to highlight the plight of grasslands, and to work towards the conservation of these vast, neglected spaces.

On one of the occasions when my friends and I were in the grasslands near Pune, we were observing a few wolves from a distance. They had killed a Chinkara. However, stray dogs from the nearby settlement showed up in no time, running towards the pack of wolves. I have observed that these wolves are quite shy of human presence … Read More

Nilgai Attacked by Feral Dog Pack, Bikaner, Rajasthan

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There are a lot of articles and discussions about the Human-Animal Conflict around us. But not much is known and discussed Domestic and Wild Animal Conflict. This is a very serious issue for concern in several places in India.

One such serious problem is attack by Feral / Free raging dogs attacking wildlife. Because of deforestation, and shortage of grazing land inside the jungle Herbivores are forced to enter human habitation for food and become easy victims for these feral … Read More

Stray Dogs Killing a Chital Fawn, Muthanga, Kerala

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I was driving from Kerala to Bangalore on 18th May 2018 around 2.45 pm through Muthanga Wildlife sanctuary (Wayanad) in Kerala. Near the forest border, on the Kerala side and next to the highway, I noticed two stray dogs chasing a spotted deer fawn. Within a few minutes they hunted down the fawn. I just slowed down the vehicle and clicked this picture. I didn’t stop the vehicle as it is not permitted to stop inside the protected area.

Later … Read More

Free Ranging Dogs — A Serious Threat to Wildlife in PAs

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During my visit to Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary (Keoladeo National Park), Rajasthan, in February (2019), I had the opportunity to witness a rather ghastly moment in the wild.

A female spotted deer, which was apparently ill and was unable to move was killed by two feral dogs. When I reached the spot, I could see them feeding on the carcass.

These dogs also chased a spotted deer fawn which was able to escape to live another day due to intervention of … Read More

Otters under attack from feral dogs, Chambal River, Rajasthan

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Near Rawatbhata, on the Chambal river in Rajasthan, an otter family was on their daily routine hunting trail. A pack of 5-6 feral dogs appeared and separated one young otter and surrounded her in a small isolated pool between the rocks. On her distress call other members of the otter pack came to her rescue. The dogs gave up but continued to follow the pack along the trail. I was informed by locals that such incidents are very common in … Read More

Dogs wreak havoc at Maidenahalli Blackbuck Reserve, Karnataka

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It was my first trip to Jayamangali (formerly Maidenahalli) Blackbuck Conservation Reserve in 2008. Soon after we reached I got my first glimpse of blackbuck.

Later in the day while I was trying to photograph an Indian Courser, when I heard a pack of five stray dogs chasing a blackbuck exactly like what dhole or wilddog do in the jungle. They circled the animal and were attacking the antelope from all sides. Amidst all this commotion came another bigger pack … Read More

Dog finishes victim of vehicle at Velavadar, Gujarat

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We had been on a visit to Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar, in 2016. While on safari, we observed this blackbuck which was injured after getting hit by a vehicle. While it was struggling to walk, a stray dog spotted it and followed the blackbuck until the latter collapsed. The dog began feeding on the blackbuck while it was still alive.

Blackbuck National Park in Velavadar has a healthy population of blackbuck that also roam outside the protected area, and are … Read More