The apex predator Asiatic wild dogs, commonly known as dholes, may look like dogs, but, to our surprise, they are neither dogs nor wolves. These reddish-coated animals belong to a different genus, and are actually closely related to the African wild dog. Yet, their resemblance to familiar canines is one reason they often go unnoticed.

For researcher Dev Anand, who works with The Dhole Project, based out of Bengaluru, making people look twice at the species has become part of his work. This time, he’s devised an avenue using a four-panel comic. The comic book looks at his research that takes him across the Western Ghats, where the team collects faecal samples from protected areas and nearby territorial forests to study dhole populations, movement and conflict.