Why in the News?
Scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society-India, the University of Florida, the Wildlife Conservation Trust, and the National Centre for Biological Sciences have published a study titled ‘A strategic road map for conserving the endangered dhole Cuon alpinus in India’ in Mammal Review.
Basic Facts
According to the above study, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh rank high in the conservation of the endangered dhole in India.
These three States were adequately equipped to maintain their high ranks in consolidating forest habitats and recover dhole populations by increasing prey density and reducing pressure on forests.
The study says that Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Telangana and Goa will need to increase financial investments in the forest and wildlife sectors, and reduce the ease of granting forest clearances for infrastructure projects.
It also found that improving habitat conditions and prey densities in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha would “strengthen the link” between dhole populations in the Western Ghats and central India.
About Dhole
Dholes (Cuon alpinus) is called Asiatic wild dog.
Dholes play an important role as apex predators in forest ecosystems.
Besides the tiger, the dhole is the only large carnivore in India that is under the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s ‘endangered’ category.
(Source: The Hindu)
CLICK HERE FOR UPSC, BPSC, UPPCS, JPSC, MPPSC, RPSC PRELIMS CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQ
CLICK HERE FOR UPSC PRELIMS CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQ
