NEWS

• A rare sighting of a striped hyena (locally called katte kiruba) was recorded at Kali Tiger Reserve near Dandeli, Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka.
• Spotted by forest officials in the safari zone of the tiger reserve.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Rare Sighting:
  • Single individual hyena observed inside the reserve.
  • No recent records of hyenas in the Western Ghats, making this an unusual event.
• Monitoring Measures:
  • Forest officials are tracking the animal through camera traps and direct sightings.
  • Senior officials notified to ensure observation and data collection.
• Possible Origin:
  • Could have strayed from Dharwad forests, where hyenas are regularly sighted.
  • Previous instances of wildlife, such as tigers, traveling long distances into Kali Reserve noted.

Ecological and Wildlife Insights:

• Habitat Suitability:
  • Kali Reserve consists of semi-evergreen to evergreen forests, considered less suitable for hyenas, which prefer drier areas.
• Behavior of Hyenas:
  • Nocturnal scavengers, feed on kills of bigger predators.
  • Typically found in Dharwad, Chitradurga, Gadag, Ballari, and Koppal districts.
• Conservation Significance:
  • The sighting highlights possible range expansion or stray movement of species.
  • Important for biodiversity monitoring and understanding predator-prey dynamics in the Western Ghats.

Expert Opinion:

• Wildlife specialists suggest further observation to determine whether this is a solitary wanderer or part of a larger population.
• Continuous monitoring can provide insights into habitat use and movement patterns of rare mammals.