Context:
Recently a partial albino dhole (Cuon alpinus) has been photo-documented in Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.
Relevance:
GS III- Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Conservation
Dimensions of this article:
- About Albinism
- About Dholes
- About Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary
About Albinism:
- Albinism is the result of cells that can’t produce melanin, the pigment needed to colour skin, scales, eyes and hair.
- This genetic condition gets passed to offspring when both parents carry the recessive gene. When albinism is present, the animal can appear white or pink.
- The production of melanin occurs within melanocytes, specialized cells that are present but not fully functional in albino mammals.
About Dholes
- It is a wild carnivorous animal and is a member of the family Canidae and the class Mammalia.
- They are also known as Asian wild dogs.
- Historically, dholes purportedly occurred throughout southern Russia, all across central Asia, south Asia and southeast Asia.
- According to recent research and current distribution maps, they are restricted to south and southeast Asia, with the northernmost populations in China.
- In India, they are found in three clusters across India namely the Western and Eastern Ghats, central Indian landscape and North East India.
- Karnataka, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh rank high in the conservation of the endangered dhole in India, according to a study (2020).
- Dholes play an important role as apex predators in forest ecosystems.
Conservation Status
- IUCN List of Threatened Species: Endangered
- Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Appendix II
- Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 : Schedule II
About Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary
- It is extended over three districts, namely, Chamarajanagar, Mandya and Ramanagara in
- The sanctuary provides a vital link between Bannerghatta National Park in the north and BRT Tiger Reserve and Male Mahadev Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in the south.
- The area is drained by three rivers, namely, Cauvery, Arkavathi and Shimsha.
- Flora: The forest is primarily of dry deciduous and scrub types, but a wide range of forest types including moist deciduous, semi-evergreen, evergreen, shola, riverine, Hardwicke forest, etc.
- Fauna: Important animals found in the sanctuary are tigers, elephants, leopards, bison, wild dog etc.
Source: The Hindu
