Dhole : Asiatic Wild Dog
Villagers in Shivamogga district, Karnataka, were recently treated to a rare sighting of an Asiatic Wild Dog group, also known as Dholes.
- Asiatic Wild Dog (Dhole) is a wild canid found in the forests of central, south, and southeast Asia.
- Scientific Name: Cuon alpinus
- They are found throughout Eastern and Southeastern Asia.
- They can be seen as far north as Siberia, as far south as some Malaysian islands, and as far west as the Indian peninsula.
- They are found in three clusters across India, namely the Western and Eastern Ghats, the central Indian landscape and North East India.
- The Western and Eastern Ghats is a stronghold region for dholes.
- Dholes are animals that inhabit dense jungles, steppes, mountains, scrub forests, and pine forests.
- They vary in colour from charcoal grey to rust red to sandy beige, depending on their habitat.
- Dholes are highly social animals, and they frequently hunt in packs of 5 to 12. These clans may grow to as many as 30 or 40 members.
- Conservation status:
- IUCN Red List: Endangered
- The Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule II
- CITES: Appendix II
