SAMBALPUR: In an exciting encounter, a group of tourists spotted a wild dog, also known as a dhole, during a jungle safari in the Debrigarh sanctuary on Saturday afternoon.

At around 3:45 p.m., the wild dog crossed the path near the deer and bear area, causing surprise and excitement among tourists. Many quickly filmed the sighting with their mobile phones, capturing the movements of the endangered species.

Expressing his surprise, Kamalakanta Majhi, a tourist from Sundargarh, said, “I have visited Debrigarh with my family and have been here several times, but I had never seen a wild dog before. After it ran over our safari vehicle, I checked online and later got confirmation from the safari guide that it was indeed a wild dog.”

Majhi recorded a video from just about 20 meters away.

Safari driver Subodh Bhue said, “Seeing a wild dog is very rare. We have seen it only once or twice while patrolling the forest, but it has never been seen in the safari zone before.”

This is the first time a wild dog has been spotted by tourists in the state. The presence of this Schedule 2 species was first recorded in the sanctuary in October last year after a gap of seven years.

Camera traps installed in Debrigarh have captured a pair of wild dogs, which has pleased the sanctuary authorities as they see the presence of the red dogs as a sign of a healthy prey base. Forest officials believe that the availability of ample food and water during the monsoon has prompted the wild dogs to explore new areas in the forest, including the safari zone.