Researchers determine dhole numbers in Wayanad

A new study reveals India’s first-ever population estimates of the endangered dhole or Asiatic wild dog in Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.

While the Asiatic wild dog or “dhole” is currently endangered, there were no methods available to reliably estimate dhole populations - until now.

In a new study, scientists from Wildlife Conservation Society–India, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, University of Florida (USA), and Stanford University (USA) developed a scientifically robust method to estimate dhole numbers for the first time, using genetic information and advanced population models. The researchers conducted field surveys across 350 sq km of Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala, India) to collect dhole scats (fecal droppings) in 2019.

The study found that Wayanad has 12–14 dholes per 100 sq km, with around 50 individuals estimated within the sanctuary’s administrative boundary.

“Ours is the first attempt to estimate dhole populations through targeted surveys designed specifically for this species. The results suggest that Wayanad supports high densities of the dhole. Recent nationwide tiger surveys showed that the sanctuary also has a relatively large tiger population, with 11–13 animals per 100 sq km. The fact that two large carnivores can co-exist in such high densities is indicative of an abundant prey base and high-quality habitat. It is also a testament to how well the sanctuary is managed by the Forest Department,” said Arjun Srivathsa, the lead author of the study.

Scientists extracted DNA from the scats and used a novel approach involving Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms or SNPs to identify unique dhole individuals. Combining this with sophisticated statistical methods called Spatial Capture-Recapture models, the researchers were able to estimate and map dhole numbers and density across the sanctuary.

According to co-author Uma Ramakrishnan, “For species like dhole that do not have individual markings, genetic methods are the only way we can get statistically robust estimates of population size. The cutting-edge genetic tools we developed here to understand more about this endangered species will be critical for evidence-based conservation of dholes.”

The authors recommend that the methods developed and demonstrated in the study should be used as a standard protocol for estimating dhole numbers and for conservation monitoring of their populations in other Protected Areas in India and across the species’ distribution range.

India has the privilege of hosting a wide diversity of wildlife. The country supports 23 percent of the world’s carnivore species in around 2.3 percent of the global land area. Unfortunately, some of these species are threatened with extinction, even as their population numbers remain unknown.

The study titled, “The Truth about Scats and Dogs” was just published in the international journal Biological Conservation.