A video from Rajasthan's Ranthambore National Park has captured the moment a tigress pounced on a dog in front of horrified tourists. Footage of the big cat hunting the canine has gone viral on social media. The clip shows tigress Sultana hunting a dog inside Zone 1 of the national park on Monday morning, according to the YouTube channel of Ranthambore National Park.
The video begins by showing the stray dog loitering near a number of parked safari vehicles full of tourists. Just a few seconds into the clip, the tigress appears from the right side and pounces on the unfortunate dog, dragging it into some bushes nearby. "Pakad liya, pakad liya (It caught the dog)" a tourist was heard yelling.
The clip has raised concerns among wildlife enthusiasts about the spread of canine distemper and other diseases that can spell disaster for the country's tiger population. Anish Andheria, President of the Wildlife Conservation Trust, shared the clip on Twitter and wrote: "Tiger kills dog inside R'bhore. In doing so it is exposing itself to deadly diseases such as canine distemper that can decimate a tiger population in no time."
"Dogs have emerged as a big threat to wildlife. Their presence inside sanctuaries needs to be controlled," Mr Andheria added.
Tiger kills dog inside R'bhore. In doing so it is exposing itself to deadly diseases such as canine distemper that can decimate a tiger population in no time. Dogs have emerged as a big threat to wildlife. Their presence inside sanctuaries needs to be controlled @ParveenKaswan pic.twitter.com/t7qDR1MvNl
— Anish Andheria (@anishandheria) December 27, 2021
The video has racked up over 36,000 views since being posted on Twitter a day ago.Here is a look at some of the reactions:
Canine distemper affects felines as well. Over 25 asiatic lions died from the disease three years back in Gujarat.
— Anish Andheria (@anishandheria) December 27, 2021
Can't tell for sure however, there are many villages along the periphery of Ranthambhore (like several other tiger reserves). Dogs often stray into the core from those villages.
— Anish Andheria (@anishandheria) December 27, 2021
One person questioned why leopards, who have been known to hunt stray and pet dogs, are not affected by canine distemper. "Leopards have interacted with domestic dogs (dogs are their prime prey in human dominated landscaoes) since eons. They probably have much better immunity than tigers or Asiatic lions do," Mr Andheria answered.
Leopards have interacted with domestic dogs (dogs are their prime prey in human dominated landscaoes) since eons. They probably have much better immunity than tigers or Asiatic lions do. Dogs are not prey of these two large cats and hence their interaction is limited.
— Anish Andheria (@anishandheria) December 27, 2021
Tigress Sultana, or T-107, was born in 2016, according to Ranthambore Guides. She is the dominant tigress in several areas of the national park.
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