A dhole was recorded near Panshet in Pune district on the afternoon of September 6. This is the first confirmed sighting of the wild dog (Cuon alpinus) in Panshet, primarily a dam catchment zone with fragmented forests managed for water supply and tourism rather than biodiversity conservation.
The observation was made by Sonali Shinde, Head of the Department of Biodiversity and Environmental Science at Abasaheb Garware College, Pune, along with students of the department and Chinmay Sonawane, Field Researcher at the Ecological Society, Pune. The team encountered a single individual dhole along the forested slopes while returning from a field survey.
“The very first look — both of the dhole at us and us at the dhole — made us stand still, forgetting even to capture the moment,” the team recalled. “Almost immediately, as it moved to hide behind the trees, we managed to take a photograph. Before disappearing into the forest, it looked back at us — as if saying goodbye.”
The sighting is ecologically significant because it occurred outside formally protected areas. Dholes have been documented in nearby Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary and Tamhini. But their appearance near Panshet, less than 50 km from the bustling Pune city, underscores the need for ecological corridors linking protected and non-protected landscapes, the team has said in a note to the media.
The identification of the animal as a dhole was confirmed by wildlife biologist Pallavi Ghaskadbi, who has worked extensively on dholes. Mangesh Tate, Assistant Conservator of Forests, Pune forest department, also acknowledged, to the team, the possibility of dhole presence in the region.
“This record is of great ecological importance. It highlights that Pune’s landscapes continue to harbour unexpected biodiversity,” Shinde said, adding that exposing biodiversity students to such field studies and wildlife encounters strengthens both their academic learning and their awareness of conservation challenges.
Sonawane added that the sighting highlights the importance of the Western Ghats as a refuge for wide-ranging species and the need for continued monitoring of carnivore movement in the region.
Globally, the dhole is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List and included in CITES Appendix II, restricting its trade. With only around 2,000 mature individuals estimated worldwide, populations are threatened by shrinking habitats, prey depletion, and conflict with humans and livestock.
The Pune sighting is therefore more than just a wildlife record; it is a reminder of the need to protect habitats, enhance research and promote ecological education, says the team, which is currently in process of submitting a research note on the record to a scientific journal. Following the recent sighting, greater vigilance and systematic monitoring will be crucial, they note.
Banner image: Photographic evidence of an endangered dhole obtained for the first time from Panshet, a dam catchment area in Pune district. This is the first confirmed sighting of the dhole in this region. Image © Sonali Shinde.
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