Dhole – Indian Wild Dog (Cuon Alpinus)

Physical Description:

Dental formula Incisors 3/3: Canines 1/1: Premolars 4/4: Molars 2/2

Body length: c.100 cm

Tail length: c.40 cm

Weight: females 12-16; males 14-18 kg

Coat colour: usually a red coat (also brown, yellowish or grey) often with white front & belly & black tail.

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. 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 teeth than most other dogs and has a shorter jaw with one less molar on each side of its lower jaw.

Social Behavior:

The dhole is a highly social and cooperative animal, living in organized 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 neighboring packs.

 Together with the grey wolf, African hunting dog and Amazonian bush dog, the dhole is one of the few dogs that regularly hunt in packs. This requires intelligence, co-ordination, and sometimes courage! In India, one of the dholes’ favorite preys is the medium-sized spotted deer. On occasions, however, it will tackle even larger prey like the sambar, 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.

Habitat and Geographical Range

Habitat: usually forest (dry deciduous, moist deciduous, tropical rain forest), also meadows & steppe. 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 dholes’ 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 dholes’ 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 dholes’ 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 dholes status and distribution. Armed with such knowledge we will be in a much better position to mobilize direct conservation action. 

Diet:

Almost exclusively meat: usually deer, but also wild boar, hares, depending on availability. The dhole eats wild berries, insects, and lizards. Packs of dholes feast on mammals ranging from rodents to deer. Some of the dhole’s favorites include wild pigs, hares, wild goats, sheep, and occasionally a monkey. Unlike many other "dogs," the dhole seldom kills by biting the throat. Larger mammals are attacked from the rear, while smaller ones are caught by any part of the bodies. The smaller mammals are killed by a swift blow to the head; the larger mammals are immediately disemboweled. Dholes compete for the food, not by fighting, but by how fast they can eat. An adult dhole can eat up to 4kg (8.8lbs) of meat in one hour. Two to three dholes can kill a 50kg (110 lb) deer in less than two minutes, and they begin to feed on it before it is dead. The larger prey rarely die from the attack itself, but from blood loss and shock as their intestines, heart, liver, and eyes are feasted upon.

Behavior

Dholes live in packs ranging from 5 - 12. They interact with other dholes outside of their own group, but the original pack rarely exceeds 20. They are similar to the African Wild Dog in that they engage in cooperative group hunting and group care of young. Dholes are very fond of water. After meals they race to a water site, and sometimes, if the water is near their kill, dholes will leave their food for a small drink of water. They have also been spotted sitting in shallow pools of water regardless of the temperature. Just as domestic dogs, dholes wag their tails. There is rarely any evidence of aggressiveness among pack members ( except for the cubs, who like to play fight) and there is almost never any bullying

Interesting Facts: Did you know

1. The dhole has some extraordinary vocal calls - it can whistle, scream, mew, and even cluck like a chicken
2.  It's been a distinct species for several million years. 
3.   It can urinate while doing a handstand on its front two legs 
4.  It breeds communally with most pack members helping to feed or guard the pups.
5.   When hunting as a pack it can subdue prey over 10 times its own body weight, and can even fend off a tiger! 
6.   It exploits a variety of habitats from tropical rain forest and dry-deciduous jungle, to cold alpine forest and open plains. 
7.   Its dental formula is unique among the dog family. 
8. It is a capable swimmer and often drives its prey into water. 

Reference: Encyclopedia of Life.