Strange wild dog can kill tigers

This wild dog is called the dhole, an unknown predator in the wilds of India .

Wild dogs with strange whistling glands

Although it may look like a fox at first glance, these creatures are actually dholes (Cuon alpinus) . Also known as the Asian wild dog or Indian wild dog .

In fact, this wild dog holds a unique place in the hierarchy of predators, often hunting in packs, like its distant cousin, the gray wolf.

Asian wild dogs can adapt to a wide range of habitats.

The Asian wild dog is native to South Asia. Its historical range extended from India to China, Vietnam and down to Malaysia and Indonesia, with the island of Java as its southern limit.

The Asian wild dog is easily recognized by its tan-colored coat and dark tail.

The Asian wild dog is adaptable to a wide range of habitats. It typically inhabits dry and moist deciduous forests as well as dense tropical forests such as tropical rainforests, which provide good cover for hunting. It lives in areas with primary, secondary, degraded, evergreen and semi-evergreen vegetation, dry thorn forests, as well as scrub-forests. However, it can also live in highland forests, grasslands and open savannas in Kashmir. The second part of its scientific name, alpinus, suggests that the dhole may live in mountainous areas.

In Vietnam, the Asian wild dog is a rare animal listed in the Red Book of Vietnam as well as the world, and is on the list of animals banned from hunting. This Asian wild dog species is distributed in Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Son La, Bac Can, Quang Tri, Binh Dinh, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Lam Dong. Red wolves are widely distributed in mountainous provinces from North to South, except for the provinces in the Red River Delta, the Mekong River Delta, and islands.

Also known as the Asiatic wild dog, dholes were once a wild dog with a wide range that covered nearly half the globe. Today, dholes are an endangered species with an estimated population of fewer than 2,500 adults.

Despite their small size, weighing between 12 and 18kg, dholes are known for their incredible courage and agility, allowing them to take down prey much larger than themselves. These agile creatures can even leap straight up to a height of more than 2 metres in the air, a remarkable feat for an animal of their size.

Unlike other wild dogs, dholes are highly social animals . They live and hunt in packs, which can range in size from five to 12 members. Some observers have recorded groups as large as 40 individuals, although this is rare.

Dholes are animals that live in jungles, savannas, mountains, scrublands, and pine forests. The coat color of these Asian wild dogs can range from charcoal gray to red or brown with highlights of yellow, white, or other bright colors.

The hierarchy within the pack is usually egalitarian, with responsibilities shared equally between males and females. These bonds help the pack coordinate hunts and ensure the survival of the young.

As dusk falls, these wild dogs begin their hunt. The quiet of the night is punctuated by their distinctive whistles, an important part of their communication system. Each member, guided by their whistles, has a specific role to play.

Although they are members of the dog family, dholes do not bark or howl, but they do make unique squealing, chirping, and whistling noises that they use to communicate and hunt.

With a coordinated attack, they can take down even a sturdy sambar deer. Dholes are known for taking down prey that can weigh up to 50 times their own body weight.

Unlike most dogs, they will let the young of their pack eat first after each hunt. They almost always avoid humans, but they are not afraid to confront dangerous animals, such as wild boars, buffalo, or even tigers.

These wild dogs were once widespread across North America, Europe, and Asia, but were reduced to their current habitat in East and South Asia by 12,000 to 18,000 years ago. It is believed that the dhole descended from a primitive jackal found during the Pleistocene epoch, where it roamed across Europe, North America, and Asia.

Although there have been reports of these wild dogs killing tigers, this has not been observed at this time. Despite their ability to coexist with these top predators, the Indian wild dog struggles to survive in areas inhabited by humans.

"I consider dholes to be the most extreme dog species due to their unique morphological and behavioural features , such as the inclusion of specialised teeth for hyper-carnivory," Jan Kamler from the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit at the University of Oxford told The Guardian.

Unlike other dog breeds, dholes rarely display aggressive behavior toward their own kind. Dholes are carnivores. They primarily hunt hoofed mammals in packs; they have even been known to eat over 1 kg of meat in less than 4 seconds.

An endangered species?

A combination of habitat loss, disease from domestic dogs, and competition with larger predators such as tigers and leopards has led to a dramatic decline in dhole numbers.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the dhole as endangered , with an estimated global population of fewer than 2,000 adults.

'Compared to tigers, dholes are not very 'glamorous,' says Kate Jenks, a conservation biologist at the Minnesota Zoo who has spent nine years trapping, collaring and studying tigers in Thailand. 'They tend to be overlooked by scientists and conservationists who are more concerned with tigers and leopards that live in the same areas,' she says.

In the wild, this wild dog is observed to mate from October to January, but this can vary in captivity. Female dholes can give birth to 5-10 pups per litter, but sometimes as many as 12 to 16.

Despite the odds, these predators are adapting. Dholes are adjusting their behavior and diet to rapidly changing environments. For example, dholes in the wild have been observed switching from being diurnal to nocturnal in areas with high human activity.

In response to their dwindling numbers, efforts are underway to protect these charismatic predators. Various initiatives, both governmental and non-governmental, are taking steps to conserve dhole habitats, prevent disease, and reduce human-animal conflict.

The growth rate of the pups is generally similar to that of coyotes. By six months of age, the pups will hunt with the pack, and by eight months of age, they can be assigned tasks by pack members equivalent to those of adults.

Typically, around the age of 3, females leave the herd to join another herd. In the wild, the average lifespan of these animals is about 10 years. Captive dholes average 15 to 16 years of age.

New research from the Zoological Society of London (UK) shows that global warming is directly affecting the Asian wild dog . Scientists are worried that when one species becomes extinct in the wild, it can lead to an environmental crisis, or the extinction of other species. The loss of a species will disrupt the balance of the ecosystem, especially the balance in the food chain, leading to the extinction, or sharp decline in the number of many other species.

Facing the threat of extinction, this dog breed is gradually changing to adapt. They have adjusted their behavior and diet to the constantly changing climate. For example, they have switched to being nocturnal instead of being active during the day as before.

Scientists are also working hard to preserve habitat, help Asian wild dogs prevent disease and reduce conflicts with humans. Hopefully, it is not too late for humans to take action and change their actions to save this special dog species of Asia.