Indian Wild Dog (Dhole) | KABINI NATIONAL PARK | KARNATAKA |

 

This photo was taken by my father in an safari at Kabini National Park , Karnataka , India . This photo was taken when the wild dog hunted its prey and having feast .

Dhole

The dhole is a canid native to Central , South , East Asia , and Southeast Asia . Other English names for the species include Asian wild dog , Asiatic wild dog , Indian wild dog , whistling dog , red dog and mountain wolf . It is genetically close to species within the genus canis , but distinct in several anatomical aspects : its skull is convex rather than concave in profile , it lacks a third lower molar and  the upper molars sport only a single cusp as opposed to between two and four . 

The Indian wild dog can survive in a wide array of environments . An adaptable animal , it is found in dense rain forests and moist and dry deciduous forests , which provide thick cover for hunting , as well alpine , evergreen and thorn scrub forests . During the day , Indian wild dogs roam open spaces and can be found in meadows , jungle clearings , steppes , grasslands and on the bank of rivers . 

The Indian wild dog primarily hunts during the day , and it also hunts at night . On its own , it will hunt small prey , such as fawns and hares , but at times it may hunt in pairs and will kill medium-sized ungulates ,  such as deer . It drinks frequently after eating and will actively search for a water source once finished .

The Indian wild dog is a highly social and cooperative animal and often lives in extended family packs of 5 to 12 individuals , with more males than females . There is a strict social hierarchy within the pack , so fighting and aggression rarely occur .