Dholes (Cuon alpinus)

[Shadow]

(01-31-2019, 03:23 AM)Wolverine Wrote:

(01-30-2019, 06:44 PM)Shadow Wrote: He also say, that there is no other predator like dhole (in India), what comes to teamwork, relentlessness and brutality in hunting. Even their appearance causes panic and when they have chosen target, prey is doomed. Sankhala describes one hunting which he managed to see, where a pack of 21 dholes hunted 2 chital calves. He then saw how older calf managed to flee while younger fled to water, where dholes got it. He also writes about the way dholes hunt and how they often chase prey into the water for "operation drowning" while one dhole follows it and other wait on the shores. Just what can be seen from recent video footages.

Then he writes how dhole has ecologically it´s own position and value. He say, that it doesn´t fear any other predator, not even the tiger while being only competitor for it and he tells that when looking 10 most typical prey animals of tiger, dhole hunts 6 from those. He writes, that always when packs of dholes appeared to fields of Kanha, Sankhala noticed, that his chances to see tigers decreased and he had to wait for weeks until dholes left the area.

He say, that even though tiger is more than equal with dholes, it for some reason leave the "field of action" for them when dholes appear. He writes, that reason would be, that tigers want to avoid that harm, what dholes cause by disturbing with long pursuits all prey animals on area. Their often happening hunting and terror what they spread on area reduces tigers chances for making successful ambush attacks on prey. Then he mention, that time to time dholes even make tiger go away from a kill and occasionally even chase it to the tree. He also mention, that in some occasions those would have killed tigers, in that he mention paintings ( no number, using term some) and some recent observations (good to remember, that book was published 1977).

He writes like dholes are very beneficial, what comes to ecological balance by eliminating overpopulations of some prey animals. While only thing eliminating overpopulation of dholes have been insufficient number of prey leading to starvation and/or epidemics.

I don´t have quotes or pictures, because I have been reading finnish translation of that book. But Kailas Sankhala is easy to google and check who he is and books, that he have written. Some might have that book too, so easy to read from there same. I tried to translate as good as I could :) 

It was nice to notice, that Sankhala had made also some observations about dholes and their impact in different ways.

One more piece to this puzzle, what comes to dhole reputation and what they have been seen to be doing and what might be seen in future. Hopefully there would soon be more studies about dholes. The more reading about them, the more interesting animal it is :) Observations of Sankhala are fascinating to read.

Shadow, thank's for letting us know about the valuable observations of Indian biologist Kailash Sannkhala.

Biologist sounds even understatement in a way when mentioning Sankhala. I mean if there would be Hall of Fame what comes to work done for tiger conservation, he should be there maybe on number 1 spot. But to avoid irrelevant debate, let´s say on top 5, when looking at his life and the fact, that he lead Project Tiger in India when it was set up originally. Without men like him we might have quite little what to see today. He is one of those, who´s life and career I value a lot. Maybe not as famous as Dian Fossey, but actually he should be! 

Pity that I have finnish translation of that book, but if someone have it in english, he/she could put here some screenshots, my posting is just quick summary. But maybe all relevant is there. His personal experiences during his times on field were really fascinating to read. I mean for instance, that prey animals seek safety among humans is quite something. Reply