Trap cameras installed at different locations in the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary have captured images of endangered and rare like the Asiatic Wild Dog or ‘dhole.’
The dog, which is known as Cuon alpinus, has been listed as engendered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The dogs are generally spotted in packs. The cameras also have clicked pictures of some rare animal species, including the crab eating mongoose, leopard cats and fishing cats in the sanctuary.
“The cameras recently captured the images of some rare animals and birds in the sanctuary. Among the animals, the Asiatic Wild Dog or ‘dhole’ is an endangered species.
The dogs were found here many years ago, but a picture of one dog has been captured very recently. These canines are hardly spotted here these days,” additional divisional forest officer of the sanctuary, Jayanta Mondal, said.
“The possibility of more such dogs and animals living in the forests here cannot be ruled out,” he added.
The crab-eating mongoose is scientifically known as Herpestes Urva and is on the ‘Red List’ of the IUCN. Ten cameras have been installed in the sanctuary and the forest department plans to install more in the core area.
Similar trap cameras installed at the Neora Valley National Park in Kalimpong district had recently captured pictures of some rare species, including the Royal Bengal Tiger.
Such cameras have also been installed in the Buxa Tiger Reserve, it is learnt. Meanwhile, 11 foot patrolling teams in the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary have been given DSLR cameras meant to capture images of animals as they see them during the patrolling in the forests.