Study finds gaps in conservation efforts in Western Ghats |ForumIAS

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According to a recent study,it has been found that expansion of protected areas in the Western Ghats has been detrimental to the Dhole which is commonly known as the Asiatic wild dog.Further,dhole’s presence in Karnataka’s Western Ghats has come down from 62% in 2007 to 54% in 2015.
Dhole is an apex social carnivore in the tropical forests of South and Southeast Asia.Dhole is found in landscapes covering Karnataka portion of Western Ghats of India.The IUCN status of this Asiatic Wild Dog is ‘Endangered’.
The Asiatic wild dog is threatened by the (a)depletion of prey base
(b)Habitat loss and transformation (c)Persecution of Dholes stems mainly from retaliatory killings due to livestock predation (d)Disease and pathogens and (e)Competition with other species like Tigers and Leopards for prey.
Further,massive infrastructural initiatives in the area,human intrusion in protected zones,change in land-use pattern,forest fragmentation and loss of forest cover are some of the reasons for the decline in dhole population.