Endangered Asiatic wild dogs spotted in China reserve

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Officials of a nature reserve in China's Gansu province have spotted at least nine Asiatic wild dogs or dholes, as they are called, on camera.

Various traces of the whistling dogs, such as droppings and footprints have also been spotted.

These animals which are rarely seen in the inland province, were spotted by infrared cameras in Yanchiwan National Nature Reserve on the north margin of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau.

The photographs and evidence found will prove to be important material for the research and protection of the species since not much is known about dholes that live across the plateau regions.

Dholes are highly social animals that live in central, south and southeast Asia. The species, which mainly live in south China's mountains and hills, are under second-class state protection.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) also included the animal on the Red List of Threatened Species.

(With IANS inputs)