Endangered Animals of Asia
The Dhole
Description
- mammal
- also known as Asiatic wild dog, Indian wild dog, and Red dog
- has rusty red colored fur and thick muzzle; looks like fox
- grow up to length of 90 centimeters
- female’s weight: 10 to 13 kg
- male’s weight: 15-20 kg
- has wide range of vocalizations
- way of communication: whistling
(ARKive)
Food Chain
- carnivore
- prey: spotted deer, sambar deer, and wild sheep
- diet mainly of medium sized ungulates, or animals with hooves
- hunt in packs
- capable of hunting animals 10 times its own size
- cunning like a fox
- predator: humans
- killed for several different reasons
(ARKive)
Habitat
- live in several different areas with different climates
- forest areas, mountains, montane forests, alpine areas, and thick jungles
- countries of Malaysia, Indonesia, Java
- live in packs in dens
- hunt and live by rivers
(IUCN Red List)
Traits
This photo shows the dhole's features. (Photo from Flickr).
Hunting
A dhole stalks its prey. (Photo from Flickr).
Habitat
This is an example of a dhole's habitat, a forest. (Photo from Flickr).
Adaptation
- fur helps them camouflage
- use distinctive whistle to reassemble rest of pack when in need of help
- hunt in pants of around 6 to 12
- use sense of smell to locate prey
- capable swimmers
- remarkable speed to flee from predator, humans
(ARKive)
How it became endangered and what is being done...
- habitat loss, killing for pelts, elimination of prey, diseases spread by other animals, persecution, and poisoning
- protected under the law
- Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Act of 1972 (India), Dhole Conservation Programme leading to Dhole Action Plan
- dhole hunting prohibited in Russia and Cambodia
- donate to help with protection of animals, including dhole, on arkive.org
(ARKive and IUCN Red List)
Jinseo's Link
Photo Credits
-photo credit: A Dhole href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlequeen/7913353520/">Harlequeen</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>
-photo credit: Traits
href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/harlequeen/7913352188/">Harlequeen</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>
-photo credit: Hunting href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/picsatrandom/1797182731/">amitkotwal</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">cc</a>
-photo credit: Habitat href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sathishcj/4799573926/">satosphere</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>