Chamarajanagara: The Forest Department officers in Bandipura Tiger Reserve have planned to replace Mudhol dogs with German Shepherd breeds.
The Department Officers inducted the dog squad into service followed by the rise in forest crimes in the sanctuary. The dog squad is equipped with German Shepherd dog Rana, which played a vital role in detecting accused of forest crimes and poachers.
But the 13-year-old Rana, who is on the verge of retirement, grew older and was no longer able to work as effectively as before. Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Mann Ki Bath called upon the armed forces and other officers to make good use of Mudhol dogs in forces instead of foreign breeds.
Inspired by this Bandipura Forest Officers brought Mudhol breeds Margaret and Rocky and were given training for more than a year. However, now the officers feel that the dogs can’t work up to the level of their expectations.
Speaking to NewsKarnataka on Saturday July 23 Bandipura Wildlife Sanctuary Project Tiger Director Dr. Ramesh Kumar said that Mudhol dogs are not incompetent, but they are not suitable for detecting forest crimes. He said that one of the two Mudhol dogs, is unhealthy, while the other is not suitable for training.
Although Mudhol dogs are skilled hunters, their efficiency in detecting crimes is not up to the mark. These dogs were unable to hear the command, says Forest officials.
The erstwhile King Shrimant Rajesaheb Malojirao Ghorpade of Mudhol of the Mudhol State is credited with reviving the Mudhol hound. He noticed local tribal people called Bedar (Fearless); also called Berad using these hounds for hunting. Using selective breeding, he was able to restore the royal Mudhol hound. On a visit to England in the early 1900s, the Maharaja of Mudhol State presented King George V with a pair of hounds, which popularised the Mudhol hound breed.
The Indian Army has expressed its desire to use the Mudhol sighthound for surveillance and border protection duties. It has obtained six Mudhol dogs for testing at the Army’s Remount Veterinary Corps at Meerut. The dogs were bred after selection, at the Canine Research and Information Centre in Thimmapur near Mudhol in Bagalakote District of the State. In 2005 the Mudhol Hound was one of four Indian dog breeds were featured on a set of postage stamps released by the Indian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to celebrate the country’s canine heritage.
Over 750 families in and around Mudhol Town of Karnataka are raising this breed to sell the puppies.
