Imphal: Camera traps installed in Shirui Village in Manipur’s Ukhrul district have captured the first documented evidence of the endangered Asiatic wild dog (Cuon alpinus) in the state.
The sighting was made during a wildlife monitoring survey conducted by the Ukhrul-based Environmental Force at Grassroot Level (ENFOGAL), a community-based organisation engaged in biodiversity documentation and conservation.
Commonly known as dhole, the Asiatic wild dog is listed as ‘Endangered’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The species has experienced population declines across Asia due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
According to ENFOGAL, the presence of the species in the Shirui hills in Ukhrul had not previously been documented, with local residents believing it was absent from the area.
The camera trap was installed with the assistance of Pamreithing, a former hunter who now works as a conservation volunteer. Drawing on his knowledge of local forest trails, he identified the location where the species was eventually recorded.
The survey was supported by conservation initiatives undertaken by the Ukhrul Forest Division and the KfW-supported Community-Based Sustainable Forest Management (COSFOM) project. Under the Forest Area Closure programme, village patrol teams regularly monitor the forest to curb illegal hunting and trapping.
Patrick Shangh, co-founder of ENFOGAL, credited the Shirui Village Authority and local residents for enforcing a ban on hunting and supporting conservation efforts in the area.
He said the finding highlighted the ecological importance of the Shirui landscape and indicated that further scientific surveys could reveal additional undocumented wildlife in the region.