The Dhole (Cuon alpinus) is a canid native to Asia in places like India, Nepal, China, Sumatra, Java, Vietnam and Thailand. Other English names for the species include Asiatic wild dog, Indian wild dog, whistling dog, and red dog. It is genetically closely related to species within the genus Canis, though 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 two to four. During the Pleistocene, the dhole ranged throughout Asia, Europe and North America but became restricted to its historical range 12,000–18,000 years ago. Its closest known canine relative alive today is the African wild dog.
The dhole is a highly social animal, living in large packs without rigid dominance hierarchies and containing multiple breeding females. Such packs usually consist of 12 individuals, but large groups of over 40 are known. It is a diurnal pack hunter which preferentially has a diet consisting of medium and large sized ungulates such as deer, wild boar, antelope, buffalo calves and they will occasionally prey on hares, rabbits, wild goats and monkeys, they will sometimes eat berries and lizards too In tropical forests, the dhole competes with Bengal tigers and Indian leopards, with both animals known to kill dholes as competition, targeting somewhat different prey species, but still with substantial dietary overlap. With a large enough pack they have been known to scare off tigers, leopards, Indian wolves and sloth bears though they can be killed in return by said animals.
It is listed as Endangered by the IUCN as populations are decreasing and are estimated at fewer than 2,500 adults. Factors contributing to this decline include habitat loss, loss of prey, competition with other species, persecution due to livestock predation and disease transfer from domestic dogs.