Pune: Bhimashankar Sanctuary has recently become the site of a rare and significant wildlife discovery: the spotting of a pair of Indian wild dogs (also known as dhole) after nearly 195 years.

This remarkable finding has been documented in a research paper by Umesh Waghela, President of Alive Charitable Trust and a noted wildlife scholar. The paper was recently published in the international science journal Zoo Print.

Umesh Waghela, who has been active in nature conservation for many years, encountered the wild dogs during a study tour at Ahupé Devrai. His discovery marks the first photographic evidence of wild dogs in Bhimashankar since 1828.

The species was previously believed to have been extinct in the area, according to surveys and observations by other scientists.

The wild dogs, known for their social behavior and preference for dense forests with open spaces, were observed and photographed by Waghela, leading to a ten-month study culminating in the publication of his research. The sighting is particularly important as wild dogs are rarely seen and are considered a crucial part of the ecosystem.

Dr. Anil Mahabal, a retired scientist from the Zoological Survey of India, provided guidance for the research, while Dr. Shyamkant Talmale, a mammalogist at the Zoological Survey of India, confirmed the identification of the wild dogs.

The research also draws on historical records from 1828 by Colonel William Henry Sykes of the East India Company, which noted the presence of wild dogs in the Bhimashankar region nearly two centuries ago.