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 and routinely hunt and kill different species of wild ungulates, reptiles, and ground birds. One study published in 2017 show that feral dogs attack up to 80 species of wild animals in India, several of which are also critically endangered like the Great Indian Bustard and the Black-necked Crane. They also directly compete with other large carnivores for food and often carry viruses, bacteria, and parasites that cause disease in wild animals.
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