Rare dholes caught on camera in Xinjiang's high-altitude nature reserve

(Source: Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Liu Hao) news: A scientific expedition in the Taxkorgan Wildlife Nature Reserve in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has yielded rare footage of dholes, or Asiatic wild dogs, marking the first photographic record of this endangered species in the area.

Using infrared cameras, a research team from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences captured images of the animals in the wild.

Kelimubieke, an official with the national wildlife disease monitoring station at the reserve, said the protected area sits in southern Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County at an average altitude of over 4,000 meters. The rugged terrain forms a cold, arid ecosystem that hosts abundant wildlife, including snow leopards, bearded vultures, golden eagles, Siberian ibex, brown bears, and Himalayan snowcocks.

In recent years, the reserve has stepped up conservation efforts, leading to continued environmental improvement and notable progress in biodiversity protection, Kelimubieke noted.

Dholes are listed as a national first-class protected animal in China and are known for their pack-hunting behavior. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, the global dhole population stands at only 949 to 2,215 individuals, classifying the species as endangered.

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