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| Ussuri dhole | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A captive Ussuri dhole atKolmårdens djurpark,Sweden. | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Canidae |
| Genus: | Cuon |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | C. a. alpinus |
| Trinomial name | |
| Cuon alpinus alpinus (Pallas, 1811) | |
TheUssuri dhole[1] (Cuon alpinus alpinus), also known as theEastern Asiatic dhole and theChinese dhole, is thenominate subspecies of thedhole wild dog native toAsia. The Ussuri dhole subspecies is originally native to theRussian Far East and parts ofChina, theKorean Peninsula andMongolia, though it is presumed regionally extinct or extirpated in most of its historical range, and it possibly exists as fragmented populations in theRussian Far East.[2]
The Ussuri dhole is the largest subspecies ofCuon alpinus, and the most northerly in range, possessing a narrower skull and a bright-reddish coat with more pronounced white fur, extending from the lower jaw to the underbelly and inner legs, compared to other dholes.[1] Much like theTian Shan dhole (C. a. hesperius), which also inhabits cooler, temperate and seasonally-frigid environments, the Ussuri dhole grows a notably thicker coat and "mane" during the colder seasons. By springtime, and into early summer, this hair is largely shed to reveal a coarser and leaner coat for the warmer months. By comparison, the dholes ofSouth andSoutheast Asia often have permanently shorter coats—likely due to their more tropical range—consisting of dark, brick- or maroon-red fur, with little to no white hair—such as on the Indian (C. a. dukhunensis) or theSunda dhole (C. a. sumatrensis) subspecies, for example.[citation needed]
The Ussuri dhole lives inforests, plains,grasslands,savannahs,steppes andalpine tundra. It is believed to be extinct inMongolia,Russia andSouth Korea, with the current presence inNorth Korea considered uncertain.[3] It is possible that a small population still exists in theRussian Far East, though it is extirpated in other historical ranges.[2]
The Ussuri wild dogs feed on a variety of animals, such as thewapiti,red,musk,roe andmuntjacdeer, wild sheep such asmouflon andargali,antelope such asgoitered gazelle,chinkara,saiga, andchiru, Eurasianwild boar,grouse,pheasant,waterfowl,red junglefowl,peafowl and even the occasionalred-crowned crane. They also learn hunting techniques as puppies, preying on smallrodents,frogs,snakes orlizards. Injured or weak animals of numerous species will be prioritized as prey. On rare occasions, a group may attack unattended, vulnerable or juvenile equines such askiang,onager orMongolian wild horse, although these wild horses are generally highly protective of each other—especially of young horses—and aggressive towards predators.[citation needed]
Dholes are listed as anendangered species due to low densities. However, threats such aspoaching, illegal hunting and thefur trade no longer pose significant threats to dholes.[4] The species is highly protected in many countries, such as inCambodia. The dholes in certain regions are mostly threatened by lack of prey and habitat loss.[citation needed]
Within areas where their ranges overlap with othercanids, dholes are also vulnerable to shared diseases and potentially aggressive (or deadly) confrontations withferal dogs,wolves andgolden jackals. Ussuri dholes may also be targeted or threatened by fellowapex predators such astigers,leopards,striped hyena,sloth bears,sun bears and, less frequently, byAsiatic lions (in India’sGir Forest,Gujarat) andcheetahs (inKuno National Park,Madhya Pradesh).[5][6][7] Large herbivores, includingAsian elephants,Indian rhinoceros,gaur andbanteng are also a potential danger, due to their massive sizes, quick tempers and natural disdain for any predatory animal, despite the fact that their young may be preyed upon by dholes occasionally.
