B Ravichandran | ENS Udhagamandalam HAS the fatal canine distemper spreading in the forests here and taking the toll of carnivores? This was the question raised by wildlife activists as the death of a wild dog at Singur Reserve Forest(SRF) near here caused flutters here. Wildlife activists, who preferred anonymity , said a wild dog, a most feared predator next to tigers and panthers, listed in the schedule -2 category in the rare wild animals list, was found dead off the Vazahithottam checkpost on the Anikatti Road at SRF about a week ago. Forest staff at SRF did not take efforts to carry out post mortem, sources said. They also said that the symptoms found at the facial region of the carcass showed that it might have died of canine distemper, a dreaded disease, known to kill the carnivores. The disease might have spread to the wild-dogs by the mongrels found wandering in and around the Vazaithottam and Mavanallah region in SRF. Had this wild dog really died of canine distemper, then are chances of more such wild dogs contacting this infectious disease and a few of them are feared dead deep inside the forests, sources said. Wildlife activists express their apprehensions as the chances of other carnivores like tigers and panthers, falling victim to this disease, are on the increase. When contacted, Soundarapandiyan, DFO (North), said he had not come across the complaint.