Successful breeding of Dhole Cuon alpinusat Mysore Zoo, India

Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, popularly known as Mysore Zoo, houses three species that can be called lesser carnivores: the Dhole or Indian wild dog Cuon alpinus, the Golden jackal Canis aureusand the Indian grey wolf Canis lupus pallipes. All three belong to the Canidae and their ecological importance and role cannot be underestimated. There is growing concern about the dwindling numbers of these carnivores in the wild. Efforts to breed these species in captive conditions are of great significance in the event that animals are required to be released/re‐stocked into the wild. Captive‐breeding programmes have been initiated at Mysore Zoo for the Dhole and the Indian grey wolf. This paper describes the preparations made in advance of parturition (e.g. provision of separate holding rooms for the breeding pair with a den and installation of closed‐circuit television cameras to allow remote monitoring), the measures taken to reduce neonatal mortality (e.g. when the mother is not feeding the pups they can be separated for hand rearing) and the need to simulate natural conditions around the enclosure in order to achieve successful breeding of Dhole in zoological facilities.