In a first, pack of 10 wild dogs sighted in Dongaroli Village of Maharashtra

Wild dogs. Pic/Daya and Anand Patki

In a first, a a pack of 10 wild dogs was sighted for the first time in Dongaroli village, located in Mangaon Taluka of Raigad in Maharashtra, approximately 160 kilometers southeast of Mumbai.

The pack of wild dogs was sighted on September 18.

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The remarkable sighting was captured on camera by Daya and Anand Patki, owners of the Dongoroli Bamboo Nursery.

Wildlife researcher Shantanu Kuveskar from Mangaon said, "At around 6:15 PM, Daya Patki noticed the wild dogs near their bamboo nursery and immediately contacted me. I urged them to capture a photo as evidence. From a safe distance and without disturbing the animals, the Patkis followed the pack and managed to photograph them in one location. After this, the wild dogs fled into the nearby jungle."

Upon inspection of the area, the Patkis found blood and body parts of some animal on the grass, indicating that the dogs had hunted something.

Shantanu Kuveskar inquired in Dongaroli village and found that some goats were missing that evening. Initially, the villagers suspected a leopard. However, this incident confirmed that wild dogs were responsible for killing the goats.

Kuveskar and the Patki couple searched the surrounding area the next morning but couldn't find the pack. Similar incidents of goats being killed have been reported from nearby villages in recent days. Due to a lack of awareness about wild dogs, locally known as 'kolsunda,' locals often mistake them for leopards, foxes, or stray dogs.

"Just two days ago, Anand and I had a discussion about wild dogs, and coincidentally, Anand spotted them the next day. In the past 10 years, I have recorded sightings of wild dogs in various villages of Mangaon Taluka, but without camera traps, photographic evidence was scarce. Wild dogs have been rarely sighted in Govel, a village adjacent to Dongaroli. In recent years, the presence of wild dogs has increased in Raigad district, including Roha, Tala, Murud, Mhasala, Shrivardhan, Mahad, and Mangaon areas. Except for the older generation, locals lack awareness about wild dogs and often overlook them, mistaking them for foxes or stray dogs," said Shantanu Kuveskar.

Wild dogs (Dhol) are protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, just like tigers.