Endangered Species : Dhole

Characteristics

There are 10 subspecies of the dhole ranging in color and size. Two of the subspecies are listed as endangered by the IUCN (east Asian dhole and the west Indian dhole). Two other subspecies are on the verge of extinction ( C.a. primaerus, and the C.a. laniger).

The dhole is similar to a household dog, in which it's size can be compared to a border collie. It has reddish/brown fur, and usually white on it's chest. Depending on it's location, it may have grey within it's coat. This species differs from other wild dogs because it has a few extra teeth, and a very strong jaw.

The dhole is an omnivore because it eats wild berries, insects, and lizards, and can even take down an elephant, wild boar, or leopard if with a large pack. Instead of killing prey by biting the preys throat, they attack larger animals from behind; and smaller animals by latching on to any part of their body. Dholes compete for their food by comparing how fast they can eat, which is why they never fight over their prey. The larger prey is more likely to die from the blood loss, than the initial attack itself.

Where do they live?

The dhole can live in a variety of habitats which vary from the tropical rainforest and the jungle, to the alpine forest and open plains. It is also said that they like the water, in which you can find them near it most of the time. This not only refreshes them, but allows to stalk prey. They have a hunting range which is about 15 square miles, and they can travel in packs of 5-12. You may also find them hunting with only one other Dhole, or Dholes from other packs. The pack could reach to the amount of 20, but it is highly likely to find that many together. This may happen because they take care of their young as a group, and they may need help when feeding and guarding the young.

Because Dholes are rarely seen, they are not quite sure if they exist where they were historically known to exist. There have however been spotted in southeast Tibet, India ( south of the Ganges river), northeast India states, the Himalaya's and northwest India. The have been spotted in Kashmir, Myanmar, Nepal, northern and central Malaysia, and Terai.

Why should we care?

Dholes have become an indirect food source for the residents of the jungles. Dholes do not attack human beings, and they usually run away at the sight of a person. Human residents of the jungle follow dholes when they are hunting., and when the dhole completes its kill; the human hunters scare it away and steal its kill. The only negative is that they can attach livestock at the cost of the owner. Because Dholes are in the same proximity of humans, they have a way of getting sick, just like the common dog. This is one reason that Dholes have become endangered in areas where they have high contact with humans.

MANY PEOPLE DO NOT EVEN KNOW THAT THIS SPECIES EXIST, AND ARE UNAWARE THAT THEY ARE ON THE VERGE OF BECOMING EXTINCT.

How can you help?

According to http://www.savingcatsanddogs.org/species/dholes/, the following solutions can help save dholes from extinction:

Raise awareness about the species within local communities
Decrease the level of conflicts between humans and Doles
Implement measures to reduce conflict
Maintain and increase natural prey base
Restore and protect forest habitat from further loss and fragmentation

Conservation Actions

You can go to http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/5953/0 to learn more about the conservation action:

Cambodia protects all dholes from hunting. They are also trying to get a new forestry law passed, with a proposal to list the species as a fully protected species.
India protects the dholes by using the "Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Act of 1972". This means they need permission to kill any individual unless it is self defense, or if an individual is a "man killer". India also has a tiger reserves, which has provided protection for the dholes.
In 1974, the Russian Federation had Dholes under the protected animal status, but the poisoning of grey wolves could have been why Dholes are believed to be nonexistent in Russia today.
Viet Nam has Dholes listen under "category IIB" which limits extraction and utilization. It is not an effective conservation effort, because extraction and utilization are not quantified.
China put Dholes on the category II protected species list in 1988, and is under the Chinese wildlife protection act.