ZooNooz Article - March 2006

Focus on: Dhole

Story by CHRISTINE WICHEMS
Photograph Robert Dockerill
Illustration Ngaire Sales
 

In the jungles of Asia there lives a little known member of the dog family. Described as the 'red dog' by Rudyard Kipling in The Second Jungle Book, Dholes - or Asian Wild Dogs - are the size of a border collie, but they look rather different.

They have a beautiful coat that is usually a rusty red colour, (though this varies regionally), a bushy, black tail and white patches on the belly, chest and paws. Their large, rounded ears are filled with white hair, and the hooded amber eyes reveal their intelligent nature. Males are larger than females.

They live in forests in south Asia, ranging north to central Asia, east to Malaysia and south to Sumatra. Though threatened with extinction, few people have even heard of these magnificent creatures. Dholes are one of the fascinating predators of Asia because of their unique features, sociable character, cooperative nature, and high success rate as a hunter.

Not your average dog

Dholes have many unique attributes that differentiate them from other members of the dog family such as foxes or wolves, so they are classified into their own genus, Cuon (which is Greek for 'dog').

A small pack of Dhole lazing about (RD)

Their muzzle is shorter and squarer than other dogs, a design that enables them to have a very powerful bite. Unlike other members of the dog family, they have only two molars on each side of the lower jaw - not the usual three. They also have specialised carnassial teeth - the back teeth with vertical cutting edges that are found only in Carnivores.

These dental adaptations are thought to enhance the shearing capacity of the teeth and enable the Dholes to consume their prey much faster. Dholes also have a wide range of vocalisations - an indication of their social nature. They can whistle and scream - and even cluck like a chicken! The whistling sound that the Dhole is famous for is so distinct that it can be used to identify individuals.

The social scene

Dholes are highly social animals, living in organised packs of around 10, although occasionally large groups of up to 40 dogs have been seen, possibly resulting from a temporary fusion of neighbouring packs. Pack members regularly play together, engaging in mock-fights, rolling and grooming. Social rank is established by pushing and holding - rarely by aggressive biting - and there is almost never any bullying.

These groups generally contain more males than females and have a strong hierarchical structure, dominated by an alpha male and female. The pack will defend a territory that can be as large as 84 square kilometres; its size is influenced by the availability of food and water. When there are pups present, the size of the home range becomes smaller.

Cooperation

Females give birth only once a year following a two-month pregnancy. The mating season occurs from September to February, and usually only the dominant female will breed. This focuses the energy of the entire pack on raising the pups, giving them a better chance of survival.

The pups are born in a den and all members of the pack care for the mother and her litter. Pack members will guard the den and feed the pups and mother by regurgitating food for them. When the pups are old enough to accompany the adults on hunting trips (usually at around seven months of age) they are allowed to eat first at a kill.

The Dhole has a bushy black tail (NS)

Whistle while you hunt

Like the African Wild Dog, the Grey Wolf and the Amazonian Bush Dog, Dholes regularly hunt in packs. This requires coordination and intelligence - and it allows them to prey on animals over 10 times their own size!

The diet is almost entirely carnivorous, and they favour medium-sized hoofed animals (ungulates), such as Chital and Sambar Deer, blackbuck, wild sheep and pigs. If a group is large enough, it can attack a Gaur, a type of Asian wild ox, a leopard and even a tiger. Hunting in thick forest, Dholes use scent to locate prey - occasionally jumping high into the air to pinpoint locations.

Pack members coordinate movements with whistling sounds and yelps, and either move forward in a line or stand guard on the edge of dense cover while other pack members flush the prey. Like the African Wild Dog, Dholes have acquired a vicious reputation owing to the speed at which they eat (remember the dental adaptations) and their method of disemboweling prey while it is still alive.

Though their methods may seem cruel by human standards, Dholes are very successful hunters and they play an important role in nature. Hunting packs will temporarily scare ungulates out of an area - thus preventing overgrazing and subsequent damage to the environment.

Only with better understanding can we fully appreciate these unique dogs and their integral role in the forest ecosystem.

Want to read more?

By joining as a Zoo Friends member we send you a full colour, glossy magazine each quarter as part of your membership package. Join now.


« Back to ZooNooz article listing