Cuon alpinus Pallas, 1811 - Asiatic Wild Dog

Subspecies in India

It is also known as Dhole or Indian Wild Dog. There are seven subspecies recognized namely: C. a. alpinus, C. a. adjustus, C. a. fumosus, C. a. hesperius, C. a. laniger, C. a. lepturus, C. a. sumatrensis. Nevertheless, in the absence of enough molecular and morphological evidences this subspecies recognition is debated.

This species is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (https://www.iucnredlist.org/).

 

Photo Gallery and Species Biology

Indian Wild Dog has vast distribution in central, south and southeast Asia. It is widely distributed all over India. It inhabits wide range of habitats i.e. evergreen and semievergreen forests, deciduous and semi-deciduous forests, alpine forests and steppe. It is a highly social species that forms tight packs. They hunt in packs as well as in pairs depending on the size of prey. Its diet include herbivores as small as young fawn of spotted deer to large herbivores like adult Sambar stag. It is known for its high endurance and perseverance especially while they hunt, whihc can even go for hours. It rarely takes to livestock.

Conservation Status:


This species is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (https://www.iucnredlist.org/).

According to IUCN Red List assessment, population of this species is decreasing all over its range. It is estimated to have between 950 and 2500 individuals. Threat to its survival come from habitat loss, fragmentation, loss of prey, hunting, trapping, occasional retaliatory killing. Wildlife diseases such as rabies also pose threat to its survival in wild.
 
StateJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecNo date
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Andhra Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Assam
Bihar
Chandigarh
Chhattisgarh
Dadra & Nagar Haveli
Daman & Diu
Delhi
Goa
Gujarat
Haryana
Himachal Pradesh
Jammu and Kashmir
Jharkhand
Karnataka1212121
Kerala
Lakshadweep
Madhya Pradesh22812112
Maharashtra2
Manipur
Meghalaya
Mizoram
Nagaland
Odisha
Paschimbanga
Pondicherry
Punjab
Rajasthan
Sikkim
Tamil Nadu
Tripura
Uttar Pradesh
Uttarakhand
West Bengal
Total22844121322

Page citation

Anonymous 2024. Cuon alpinus Pallas, 1811 – Asiatic Wild Dog. In Bayani, A., R. Chakravarty, and K. Kunte (Editors) (Chief Editors). Butterflies of India, v. 1.13. Published by the Indian Foundation for Butterflies. URL: https://www.mammalsofindia.org/cuon-alpinus, accessed 2024/05/12.