Insights from distribution dynamics inform strategies to conserve a dhole Cuon alpinus metapopulation in India
Most large carnivore populations currently occur in heterogeneous landscapes, with source populations embedded in a matrix of human-dominated habitats.
Understanding changes in distribution of endangered carnivores is critical for prioritizing and implementing conservation strategies. We examined distribution and dynamics of a dhole Cuon alpinus metapopulation, frst in 2007 and subsequently in 2015, based on indirect sign surveys across 37, 000sq. km of India’s Western Ghats.