SAMBALPUR: In an exciting encounter, a group of tourists spotted a wild dog, also known as Dhole, during a jungle safari in the Debrigarh Sanctuary on Saturday afternoon.
Around 3.45 pm, the wild dog crossed the path near the deer and bear zone, leaving the tourists both surprised and thrilled. Many quickly recorded the sighting on their phones, capturing the movement of the endangered species.
Kamalakanta Majhi, a tourist from Sundargarh, expressed his amazement stating, “I visited Debrigarh with my family and have been here several times, but I had never seen a wild dog before. After it walked across our safari vehicle, I checked online and later confirmed with the safari guide that it was indeed a wild dog.”
Majhi recorded a video when it was just about 20 metres away.
Safari driver Subodh Bhue said, “Spotting a wild dog is very rare. We’ve seen it just once or twice inside the forest during patrolling, but it was never seen in the safari zone before.”
This marks the first time that a wild dog has been spotted by tourists in the state. The presence of these Schedule-2 species was first recorded in the sanctuary in October last year after a gap of seven years.
Camera traps installed in Debrigarh captured a pair of wild dogs, bringing cheer to sanctuary authorities, who see the Dhole’s presence as a sign of a healthy prey base. Forest officials believe that the availability of abundant food and water during the monsoon has led the wild dogs to explore new areas within the forest, including the safari zone.