Dhole
The dhole is a wild canid native to Central, South, and Southeast Asia. It is a highly social pack hunter, also known as the Asiatic wild dog.
Pack hunting: A hunting strategy in which animals cooperate to find, pursue, and capture prey. Dholes hunt cooperatively, allowing packs to tackle prey larger than individual hunters.
Canidae: The mammal family that includes dogs, wolves, foxes, jackals, and related species. The dhole belongs to this family but forms a distinct evolutionary lineage.
IUCN Red List: A global assessment system that classifies species by their risk of extinction. The Red List classifies the dhole as Endangered and summarizes its conservation status.
Gray wolf: A large, widely distributed canid native to Eurasia and North America. Wolves are close ecological counterparts, but belong to a different genus and have a broader range.
Dhole vocalizations: The calls and other sounds produced by dholes, including whistles, screams, and alarm calls. Whistles help pack members coordinate and keep contact in dense habitat.
Cuon alpinus: The scientific name for the dhole, the sole living species in the genus Cuon. This binomial identifies the species across scientific and conservation literature.
Habitat fragmentation: The division of continuous habitat into smaller, isolated patches. Fragmented forests can isolate dhole populations and disrupt access to prey.
African wild dog: A highly social African canid, also called the painted dog, that hunts in packs. Both species are pack hunters, but they evolved on different continents and are not close taxonomic counterparts.
Sociality in canids: The range of social behaviors and group structures found among members of the dog family. Dhole cooperation is one expression of the varied social lives of canids.
Asian tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests: A biome of warm, humid forests across South and Southeast Asia. These forests are among the habitats where dhole populations persist.