Along with many other wild canids the dhole has suffered a history of prejudice.
Only with a better understanding can we fully value these unique dogs and their integral role in the forest ecosystem.
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Along with many other wild canids the dhole has suffered a history of prejudice. Only with a better understanding can we fully value these unique dogs and their integral role in the forest ecosystem. |
The dhole or Asiatic Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus) is about the size of a border collie (12-18 kg), but looks quite different. The coat is usually a rusty red colour, but varies regionally from sandy yellow to dark grey. See our dhole map page for details of regional colour variation (frame-compliant browsers only). Usually it has a black bushy tail and white patches on its chest, paws and belly. Its ears are rounded, and its hooded amber eyes portray an intelligent nature.
Within the canid family the dhole is something of an enigma. It doesn't fit neatly into any of the sub-families (i.e. the foxes or wolf-like dogs) and is classified in a genus of its own - Cuon. Among its unusual features is a strange whistle call which it uses to re-assemble the pack when animals become separated in dense forest. The dhole also has more teets than most other dogs and has a shorter jaw with one less molar on each side of its lower jaw.
The dhole is a highly social and cooperative animal, living in organised packs of around 10 individuals. Groups often contain more males than females, with usually just one breeding female. Occasionally, large groups of over 40 dogs have been seen, possibly arising from the temporary fusion of neighbouring packs.
Together with the grey wolf, African hunting dog and
Amazonian bush dog, the dhole is one of the few dogs that
regularly hunts in packs. This requires intelligence,
co-ordination, and sometimes courage! In India, one of the dhole's
favourite prey is the medium-sized Axis deer. On occasions,
however, it will tackle even larger prey like the banteng (a
large bovid), and highly aggressive prey like the wild boar. With
such dangerous quarry, the dogs can literally risk their lives
to secure the food they need to survive. Communal hunting is
particularly important during the breeding season when pack
members return to the den to regurgitate food for the mother and
pups. Sometimes, however, dholes prefer to hunt individually or
in pairs, focusing on smaller prey such as hares.
The dhole normally lives in forest habitats, but can also eke out an existence
in the open steppes of Kashmir and Siberia. As the Latin name, Cuon alpinus
suggests, the dhole is often found in hilly or mountainous regions. The
dhole's historical range reflects this great adaptability, extending from
India to Russia, and down through China to Malaysia and Indonesia (Java being
the southern limit). In recent decades, however, there has been massive habitat
loss within this region. Today, very little is known about the dhole's distribution,
but restricted surveys indicate serious decline and fragmentation of the former
range. The best remaining populations are probably to be found in central and
southern India, but even their stability is in question. The urgent need for
more information on the dhole's present distribution has been highlighted in
the latest IUCN Action
Plan for Canids. In response to this plan, DCP have designed a sighting
form and questionnaire survey and are compiling
information on the dhole's status and distribution. Armed with such knowledge
we will be in a much better position to mobilise direct
conservation action.
Did you know?...