Description

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Context:

According to a new study by scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), the dhole, or Asiatic wild dog (Cuon alpinus), believed to have been locally exterminated, has made a confirmed return to Assam’s Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Landscape (KKAL).

About the Asiatic wild dog:

Aspect	Details
Scientific Name	Cuon alpinus
IUCN Status	Endangered
Habitat	Dense forests, scrublands, and mountainous terrains
Habitat Needs	Large, undisturbed areas with high prey density
Distribution	South, Central, Southeast Asia; in India: Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Central India, Northeast
Key Features	Rusty-red coat, bushy black-tipped tail; matriarchal packs; coordinated hunters
Ecological Role	Regulates prey populations; maintains forest ecosystem balance

Kaziranga–Karbi Anglong Landscape (KKAL)

Aspect	Details
Location & Extent	Covers ~25,000 km² in Assam; extends to parts of Meghalaya and Nagaland; south of the Brahmaputra.
Protected Area Network	Kaziranga NP, Karbi Anglong, and linkages to Pakke, Nameri, Laokhowa–Burhachapori, Nambor, Ntanki
Flora	Tropical semi-evergreen forests, grasslands, and marshy wetlands
Fauna	One-horned rhinoceros, Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, leopard, sloth bear, 500+ bird species
Ecological Significance	Genetic and movement corridors for megafauna; crucial for long-term survival in a fragmented landscape

ALSO READ- https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/dhole-42

Source: The Hindu

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Which of the following statements best describes the ecological role of the Asiatic wild dog (Cuon alpinus)?

(A) Pollinator in tropical forests

(B) Scavenger maintaining nutrient cycles

(D) Seed disperser in mountainous terrains

Answer: C

Explanation:

The Asiatic wild dog (Cuon alpinus), also known as the dhole, plays a key ecological role as a top predator in forest ecosystems by regulating prey populations and maintaining ecosystem balance, primarily by hunting large and medium-sized ungulates like deer and wild boar.