As per the report of Dhole Working Group under the Canid Specialist Group the density of dholes around the world is stipulated to be from the range of 4,500-10,500, out of which 989-2,215 are expected to be adults. In case of Nepal, the number of dholes is expected to be around 100, which are found in national park under Chure, conservation areas, some community forest and national parks around the Himalayan region.
We are well known about pet dogs and stray dogs. We have been worshiping the pet dogs on Kukur Tihar as a part of Hindu culture. Treating them as a caretaker of people and home, pet dogs are also treated with desserts and delights on this very day. We have been hearing and reading instances of how some species of dogs among the dogs petted by humans all around the world have been doing greater things that humans cannot. The tales about the contribution of such dogs in investigating the crimes worldwide are praiseworthy and desirable to hear.
But, only few people not just in Nepal but in the whole world know about the dhole/wild dog.
Dholes are on the verge of extinction worldwide. For the study and protection of dhole, (an extremely threatened mammal after the tiger, listed under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species) the scientists, researchers, wildlife experts, environmental specialists and activists working in the field of forest conservation of 18 countries including those from Nepal, considering the threat, have been running conservation programs for the protection of dhole. As of now, the Dhole Working Group (19 members) under the Candid Specialist Group of IUCN has been working in the area for worldwide protection of the dholes.
As per the report of Dhole Working Group (DWG) under the Candid Specialist Group the density of dholes around the world is stipulated to be from the range of 4,500-10,500, out of which 989-2,215 are expected to be adults. In case of Nepal, the number of dholes is expected to be around 100, which are found in national park under Chure, conservation areas, some community forest and national parks around the Himalayan region.
Be it small or large species of wild lives or insects, or even plants, everyone has an equal and important role to maintain the biodiversity. Specialists view that the disappearance of one organism from the ecosystem has a serious effect on the whole life cycle of humans.
There is no arguing about the enactment of laws in Nepal with respect to maintaining the biodiversity, to conserve the wild lives, plants and water resources and to maintain the environmental balance. The Government, NGOs are also engaged in the environment and wildlife protection projects. But, given that most of the projects are more “budget oriented” and centered towards the protection and increasing numbers of large animals such as tiger, elephant, rhino, arna, bear, concerns about even the basic protection of endangered wild lives like dhole are neither heard nor seen.
A conference of scientists and dhole conservation campaigners from 18 countries including those from Nepal with an aim of conserving dholes from not only Nepal but from around the world is happening from Jestha 18 for seven days at Sauraha, Chitwan. This week-long “International Dhole Conference” organized by the DWG will be co-hosted by the National Nature Conservation Trust.
As per the co-ordinator of the conference Ambika Prasad Khatiwada, a 2010 Ph.D holder environmentalist on the study of dholes and a dhole conservation activist, the conference in Sauraha will be assisting the government in the policymaking by making a work plan for the conservation of endangered dholes. He also pinned out the main objective of the conference which is creating a Dhole Conservation Action Plan so as to batter the government in developing necessary human resources and technology for the dhole conservation and scientific research.
Khatiwada adds, “We, the Dhole Working Group from all around the world, will collaborate with stakeholders to record and collect official data on the number of dholes, the condition of their habitat, the identification of diseases affecting them, and the condition of food species, from our respective countries and on the basis of data so collected steps to conserve dholes will be initiated.
Another Dhole conservation activist from Nepal, Sujan Khanal points out on the paramount contribution of dhole in keeping a balance on the ecological system and as dhole lies in the middle of food chain, the decrease in the number of dhole would lead to a massive and uncontrollable increase in the numbers of herbivorous animals it feeds on such as deer, swamp deer, chital, hog deer, wild boar, gaur, etc. leading to a problematic situation for humans.
Dhole usually preys on aged and diseased wild lives because strong and robust deers are beyond its power to instant attack. Because of that, only the strong wild animals stay in the forest who breed healthy children and their number also continues to grow. Khanal also claims that this way, it is clear that dhole has been contributing in selecting the healthy wild lives in the forest. He said that the conference will introduce dhole to the locals and organizing this conference is a matter of pride for Nepal.
Trishna Rayamajhi, a PhD scholar on the study of dhole who is preparing research paper for her PhD under the National Nature Conservation Trust says that she saw a picture of dhole in her camera trap during her research. She also shares that it was her first-time seeing dhole beyond the Chitwan National Park area.
Rayamajhi says, “Interesting thing I got to know while doing my research is they usually stay in a group and are also very less in number. Because of their shy nature, instantly seeing them is not quite an easy task.” As dhole falls under rare and endangered species after the tiger, researches and efforts to protect their lives and are to be made from all the sectors, she expressed her thoughts.
The chief of Nepal Foresters’ Association, Dr. Kiran Paudel addresses how the density of community forest and population in Terai has been excessively increasing due to which dholes inside the parks if Terai are being seen in the upper areas. He further assures that enlightening the consumers’ group of community forest about the significance of could also lead these growing community forests to be new home for dholes.
According to him, dry forest, wet forest, tropical evergreen, tropical rain forest, open land etc. lying up to 5,300 meters above the sea level are considered suitable habitats for dholes. Dholes in Nepal are seen 4,350 meters above the sea level. He said that since there are mostly parks and conservation areas on both the Terai and Himalayan sides of Nepal at this level, it can be assumed that the dholes are scattered in different parts of Nepal.
Paudel says “Whilst dholes are reportedly seen in Chitwan, Parsa, Bardiya and Suklaphanta National Parks of the Terai, as for in the upper-lands, they are said to be seen in Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, Rara National Park, Khaptad National Park and Dorpatan Hunting Reserve. Besides, some of our friends say that dholes have also been sighted around Limi Valley of Namkha municipality of Humla.
Rachana Shah, officer in-chief of National Nature Conservation Trust, Sauraha addresses the need for conservation of the dholes as they are the last representatives of the class Cuons under the species of canids. As dhole is the only most endangered carnivore after the tiger, there is a huge contribution of dhole in protecting and flourishing ecological system and biodiversity, she further ascertains.
Shah adds, “Protecting a major predating species like dhole could help in the regulation of its preying species. Every wild lives in nature has a right to live and conserving dholes thus is our obligation”
Dhole conservation activist and a researcher Smriti Lama said that the habitat of dholes has decreased by 75 percent since last century. “Dhole living scatteredly in smaller numbers than before due to the destruction of habitat has been making it more challenging to protect them. The increasing encroachment of villages in and around the forest of conservation area, decreasing number of edible species, killing of animals using poison and trap, failure to develop favorable infrastructure for their transmigration, transmission of diseases from pet dogs are the challenges to protecting dholes” she says. She adds “A very less legal importance is given to dholes in Nepal but as per international law it falls under the annex 2 of the CITES and under threatened species of IUCN.”
Dhole conservation activist and a researcher Smriti Lama said that the habitat of dholes has decreased by 75 percent since last century. “Dhole living scatteredly in smaller numbers than before due to the destruction of habitat has been making it more challenging to protect them. The increasing encroachment of villages in and around the forest of conservation area, decreasing number of edible species, killing of animals using poison and trap, failure to develop favorable infrastructure for their transmigration, transmission of diseases from pet dogs are the challenges to protecting dholes” she says. She adds “A very less legal importance is given to dholes in Nepal but as per international law it falls under the annex 2 of the CITES and under threatened species of IUCN.”
Jitbahadur Tamang, the chief of Baghmara Community Forest, Sauraha shares that he saw dhole around the west of Chitwan National Park i.e., Chure area, for the first time while he was working as a nature guide. Ever since then, he has never seen nor heard of anyone seeing dhole around community forest area.
“I have got an uncommon opportunity to spot dhole while working as a nature guide. The habitat demarked for tiger might have assisted in protecting the dholes but without a formal study I cannot explain how the situation of dholes are in the forest I chair” he told.
Likewise, the chief of Janakauli Buffer Zone Community Forest, Jogendra Mahato said that dholes are sometimes seen in the forest. He said that locals while coming to drink water from the river and the nature guides had seen the dholes and informed him. “Dholes are not seen this year as much as previous years; no one claims as such either. Last year, the people rowing boat had noticed the dhole but they could not capture its picture as they did not have camera” he says.
Remembering the stories, he had heard from his forefathers, he says, “dhole jumps from the back of the prey before killing it. This way the back gets broken disabling the prey to walk so that dhole can easily have it”
Mahato fears about the extinction of dholes which are hardly seen these days. “Humans are the main reason of reduction in the number of animals having important role in ecosystem such as dhole; we need to reform our activities, he adds. He expresses his praise towards conducting such conference to address the urgency to generate awareness about such endangered species among people and explain its necessity.
On a similar note, the chief of Mrigakunja Bufferzone User Committee, Durga Ghimire said about failing to recognize the endangered species. He says, “The animals in the park must have been unrecognized rather than unseen. We could have confused it with jackal. I will now give necessary direction to nature guides and forest watchers for recognition.” He also suggested in introducing public awareness programs with regard to the conservation of dholes as much as the regular discussion about threatened situation of tiger and rhino in the local level. He also expressed his commitments towards working for dhole conservation.
Similarly, the chief of Chitrasen Community Forest, Pusparaj Shrestha tells that although having basic knowledge about dholes, no one has seen them in his area so far. “It is not seen yet, but since it is likely to be seen, we will inform the forest watchers and the locals for its conservation.” He further made it clear that it is the common responsibility of us humans to protect the plants and animals in the planet.
Krishna Prasad Bagale, the chief of Panchakanya Community Forest located at Ratnanagar Municipality of Chitwan says that there has been no report of any dholes around the forest. “Since we are not in the intermediary areas, dhole might have been seen around here” he said. He further told that the community is more than ready to work in the field of monitoring, protecting and increasing the number of dholes, if they are seen around the community forests along with the national parks.
The chief of Nature Guide Association, Sauraha talked about his live experience of catching a sight of a bunch of dholes of different colors, five years ago. However, he expressed his sorrow of not spotting a single dhole in recent years despite going jungle safari on daily basis. He claims that due to the lack of seriousness from the government level employees involved in wildlife protection, dholes have fallen into the verge of extinction.
He also expressed that if the concerned state agencies want to provide necessary support and cooperation to the “nature guides” for the study and protection of forest dogs, they are always ready. He tells about how foreign tourists get excited when he tells them that they can spot wild dog (dhole) while on jungle safari. “They used to get a lot happier knowing that they can see wild dog but we have not been able to show them these days. If we explore enough and conserve them, we can also attract tourist by showing dholes as much as we do so by showing tigers and rhinos and contribute to the prosperous nation via eco-tourism.”
Udayachandra Aryal a conservationist and the former chief of Nature Guide Association, Sauraha talked about noticing the dhole twice in his 30 years of career as a nature guide. “Once I got to have eye contact with a bunch of dholes around the base of Chure on my way inside from Dumariya Post. Next time, during a campaign of Chitwan Jungle Lodge, I had seen a dhole around Dharampur situated at the National Park,” remembering his past days he says, “I recognized it as soon as I saw the animal with a black squiggly tail beneath a reddish skin. I still remember that day, it was summer. They were coming down the hills. We saw them form the jeep.”
Aryal also shared his happiness about this conference being held after such a long delay. “The study was yet not conducted when in the situation of potential extinction, it is deemed necessary to discuss about the protection of dholes as much as we do of tiger and rhino. We, along with the state have failed”, he told how sad it is to not have a timely study and accurate reporting of the dhole. Aryal expresses his commitments with regard to helping the conference if it is to start the study of dholes well-mannerly and make “Dhole Conservation Work Plan and Dhole Tourism” its future plan.
Local intellectual and environmentalist Dr. Sanjay Gupta addressed the need for reformation in the Rana Regime-like laws and rules related to biodiversity and wildlife protection. As per him, some of the wild lives are in the verge of extinction owing to the undemocratic laws. He says, “Rather than reforming the laws, the heads of parks persecute by stowing away the existing laws and imposing their self-made laws out of anger.” Gupta is seen hopeful towards the conference as the arbitrary of the parks (excavation of meadows and ponds using dozer and tractor) is leading to breakage of habitat and disease being spread around from the pet dog-bites.
“These sorts of conferences are necessary to save from extinction the endangered species which assist in balancing the ecological system” he added.
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