Hope Rises for Endangered Wild Dogs in Odisha’s Debrigarh Sanctuary as Pack Formation Begins

Debrigarh: In a promising development for wildlife conservation in eastern India, Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary has recorded the presence of a pair of endangered wild dogs (Dhole or Balua Kukura in Odia) for the first time in over a decade. On July 14, forest authorities confirmed the sighting of two wild dogs — one male and one female — moving together, signaling a potential beginning of pack formation and a revival of their presence in this rich and undisturbed landscape.

The species, listed as Schedule I under the Wildlife Protection Act and classified as endangered globally with fewer than 5,000 individuals estimated worldwide, was previously believed to be locally extinct in the sanctuary. However, a lone wild dog reappeared during the winter of 2023, confining its movements initially to the core zone of the 353 sq.km sanctuary.

Tracking data from 2023 to 2025 reveals that the solitary animal gradually expanded its territory. By the winter of 2024, it began venturing into the tourism zones, allowing tourists glimpses of the elusive carnivore during safaris. Its home range remained between 30 to 40 sq.km, although it adjusted its location between seasons.

The recent sighting of a new pair, potentially distinct from the original lone individual or part of an emerging social unit, has encouraged wildlife officials. “Wild dogs are social animals that rely on pack dynamics for survival, hunting efficiency, and territory defense,” said a senior forest officer at Debrigarh. “The formation of a pair is a vital step towards the establishment of a breeding pack.”

Debrigarh offers a prey-rich habitat crucial for supporting large carnivores. This year has seen a notable rise in fawn and calf populations among Sambar, Chital, and Wild Boar, in addition to a healthy presence of small mammals. Although Indian Bison are abundant in the sanctuary, they are not typically targeted by wild dogs unless other food sources are scarce.

While no direct predators of wild dogs currently exist in Debrigarh — the lone tiger that inhabited the area from 2022 to 2024 has moved to Gomarda Sanctuary in Chhattisgarh — the dhole still face stiff competition for prey. The sanctuary supports more than 80 leopards, a sizable hyena population, and even a lone wolf recorded since 2023, all of which could overlap in diet or scavenge from dhole kills.

However, the absence of human habitation across the entire sanctuary — a rare characteristic among Indian protected areas — means that space is not a constraint for expanding carnivore populations.

Wild dogs, unlike other large predators, have an intensely cooperative social structure, relying on pack coordination for successful hunting and pup-rearing. A solitary dhole, surrounded by dominant predators and cut off from pack support, would face difficulty in securing food and safe space. Its survival for over two years is a remarkable testament to adaptability, but long-term survival depends on the presence of a pack.

With the recent sightings of a second pair, wildlife experts believe that Debrigarh may soon host a stable breeding population of dholes — an unprecedented comeback for a species once absent from this landscape.

“This is more than just a conservation milestone,” said a wildlife biologist working in western Odisha. “It’s a signal that if the habitat remains undisturbed and prey remains abundant, even endangered carnivores can find their way back.”

As Odisha’s forests continue to recover and rewild, the case of the wild dog in Debrigarh highlights the need for continuous monitoring, minimizing human interference, and mitigating interspecies competition, especially with scavengers like hyenas.

With the sanctuary’s zero-village footprint, abundant prey, and strategic location, Debrigarh could become a stronghold for the endangered dhole in central-eastern India — a beacon of hope for a species on the brink.