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Asiatic Wild Dog

July 27, 2026

A recent study showed that Asiatic wild dogs are ‘hypercarnivore’ (over 70 per cent of their diet consists of meat) canids that mostly eat sambar and chital and very little livestock at least in Central India.

About Asiatic Wild Dog:

  • The Asiatic wild dog, also called Dhole, is a wild Asian carnivore of the dog family (Canidae).
  • Other Names: Indian wild dog, whistling dog, red wolf, red dog, and mountain wolf.
  • Distribution:
    • They are found throughout Central, Eastern and Southeastern Asia.
    • In India, they are found in three clusters across India, namely the Western and Eastern Ghats, the central Indian landscape, and Northeast India. 
    • The Western and Eastern Ghats are stronghold regions for dholes.
  • Habitat: They inhabit dense jungles, steppes, mountains, scrub forests, and pine forests.
  • Features:
    • It is a sleek, reddish-brown, medium-sized dog.
    • Males are generally more muscular than females.
    • This species tends to live in groups with numbers ranging from 2-25 individuals. 
    • They are fast runners, excellent swimmers, and impressive jumpers.
    • They are great communicators and use an eerie whistle to communicate with each other. 
  • Conservation Status:
    • IUCN Red List: Endangered

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