MAE HONG SON, Thailand – Camera traps have captured images of a pack of endangered dholes roaming freely in Salawin Wildlife Sanctuary, offering encouraging evidence of wildlife thriving in the protected forest in northern Thailand. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation shared the images through its public relations Facebook page, highlighting the dedication of wildlife rangers whose exhausting foot patrols helped make the discovery possible.
Dholes, also known as Asian wild dogs, are classified as endangered globally. These social predators live and hunt in packs, relying on prey such as deer and other medium- to large-sized mammals to survive. The presence of a pack can indicate that the forest supports sufficient prey and provides suitable habitat. However, further monitoring is needed to assess the population and the wider health of the ecosystem.
The camera-trap work is being carried out through cooperation between Salawin Wildlife Sanctuary staff and international conservation organization Freeland, which supports wildlife monitoring technology and field surveys. The photographs and video will help researchers study the dholes’ movements, pack structure and feeding range. The findings will also support SMART patrol planning and conservation efforts, including proposals for ecological corridors connecting forest habitats in Thailand and Myanmar. Conservation officials say the images represent both valuable scientific evidence and recognition of the continued work of rangers protecting wildlife and its habitat.
