Dhole facts for kids
Quick facts for kids DholeTemporal range: 0.781 mya
Pleistocene – Recent |
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Cuon
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| Cuon alpinus |
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The dhole (Cuon alpinus) is a canid from Asia. It is related to dogs and foxes. It is native to Central, South and Southeast Asia. There are many common names for it: Asiatic wild dog, Indian wild dog, whistling dog, red dog, and mountain wolf.
It is most closely related to species in the genus Canis (dogs and wolves),
During the Pleistocene time period, the dhole lived in Asia, Europe and North America, but 12,000–18,000 years ago it died out everywhere except where it lives now.
The dhole lives in big, loosely organised groups with several breeding females. The groups usually have about 12 dholes, but some have over 40. It is awake in the day and hunts in groups. It usually eats medium sized to big hoofed animals. In tropical forests, the dhole competes with tigers and leopards, targeting somewhat different prey species, but still with substantial dietary overlap.
It is listed as Endangered by the IUCN. The population is getting smaller, and there are probably fewer than 2,500 adults left. The reasons for this are lack of habitat, lack of food, competing with other animals, being hunted, and getting diseases from pet dogs.
Images for kids
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Illustration (1859) by Leopold von Schrenck, one of the first accurate depictions of the species, based on a single skin purchased in the village of Dshare on the Amur
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Dhole skull and molars illustrated by St. George Mivart (1890)
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Captive adult dhole
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Subadult
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Lone dhole strolling through the jungle in Mudumalai National Park
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Dholes playing, Pench Tiger Reserve
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Dhole pup, Kolmården Wildlife Park
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Dholes attacking a sambar, Bandipur National Park
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Dholes feeding on a chital, Bandipur National Park
See also
In Spanish: Cuon alpinus para niños
