<b>First record of the Dhole <I>Cuon alpinus</I> (Mammalia: Carnivora: Canidae) in Barandabhar Corridor Forest, Chitwan, Nepal</b>

Abstract

Systematic Camera trapping on the Barandabhar Corridor Forest recorded the presence of the endangered Wild Dog/Dhole in the area. A total of 1320 camera trap night efforts were conducted in the area in two blocks from 15th Dec 2015 to 20th Jan 2016. A single picture of dhole was captured and was sympatric with other large carnivores like tiger Panthera tigris tigris, leopard P. pardus, and golden jackal Canis aureus. This first record of Dhole outside the National Park opened a new gate for officials, wildlife conservationist, scientific communities, managers to think about its conservation. It also adds the proof of the healthy functionality of this corridor.

Non‐exploitative human disturbance provides shelter for prey from predator

“…The BCF is bisected by the East–West Highway (Mahendra Highway), one of the busiest national routes in the country, with the southern part located within the buffer zone of the Chitwan National Park; the northern part of BCF is protected under the administration of the Division Forest Office, Chitwan District, Nepal. The BCF is situated between the densely populated Ratnanagar and Kalika municipalities to the east and the Bharatpur Metropolitan City to the west, and experiences high levels of human disturbance, especially in the northern part (Lamichhane et al, 2018 ).…”

“…City to the west, and experiences high levels of human disturbance, especially in the northern part (Lamichhane et al, 2018).…”

Dhole Cuon alpinus (Mammalia: Carnivora: Canidae) rediscovered in Bardia National Park, Nepal

“…In recent years, with increasing studies and with an extensive coverage of non-invasive camera trap surveys, the presence of Dhole has been recorded in different parts of Nepal. It has been reported from Kanchanjungha conservation area in the eastern Himalaya (Khatiwada et al 2012), Chitwan and Parsa national parks in central Terai (Thapa et al 2013), Barandabhar Corridor Forest, Chitwan (Lamichhane et al 2018), and Api-Nampa conservation area in the western Himalaya (Raju Ghimire, Pers. Comm.…”

Reappearance of Dhole Cuon alpinus (Mammalia: Carnivora: Canidae) in Gujarat after 70 years

“…India lost around 60% of Dholes in the last 100 years (Karanth et al 2010) and less than 1,500 individuals are left in Indian forests (Johnsingh & Acharya 2013;Kamler et al 2015), surviving majorly in Western and Eastern Ghats, Terai, Kumaon, Himalayan region, northeastern states, and relatively larger population in central India (Srivastava & Singh 2003;Durbin et al 2004;Iyengar et al 2005;Jhala et al 2008;Karanth et al 2009;Gopi et al 2010;Johnsingh & Acharya 2013;Kamler et al 2015). Although the population disappeared from former range (Johnsingh 1985;Kamler et al 2015), the recent rediscoveries in newer areas have raised the hope in Sikkim (Bashir et al 2014), western Himalaya (Pal et al 2018), Tso Kar, Ladakh (Kamler et al 2015), and in different parts of Nepal (Khatiwada et al 2011;Thapa et al 2013;Lamichhane et al 2018;Yadav et al 2019). These discoveries indicate that the species is moving out to ensure fewer competition and less disturbance, which in future may foster resilience and expand its range.…”