Pilikula Biological Zoo gets the rare “Dhole”

Vamanjoor: Pilikula Biological Zoo has got the “Dhole” which is both rare and on the verge of extinction. Pair of male and female Dhole has been brought to the zoo from Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

“Dhole” is normally called a forest dog or “Chenne Nai”. It is a pack animal and hunt as a pack and is a highly social animal, living in large clans without rigid dominance hierarchies. They mostly exist in the Western Ghats and a few other places and are currently an endangered species. It is a diurnal pack hunter and prefers to hunt down medium and large sized ungulates. There have been instances where a pack of Dhole’s have also hunted down lions found in isolation, informs H G Bhandary, director of Pilikula Biological Zoo.

The “dhole “which has been brought to Pilikula Zoo will be available for the visitors to view only after a period of a week. Till then the animals will be given the opportunity to get accustomed to the weather here, he added.

Five painted storks and five Alex Zadrian Parrots have also been brought from Vishakhapatnam to the Pilikula Biological Zoo, he informed.

In accordance to the animal exchange plan, the additional animals at Pilikula zoo including two lions, four bustards and one crocodile has been provided to Vishakhapatnam.