Meet The Amazing Looking Mountain Wolf (The Dhole) From Asia

The dhole (Cuon alpinus) is a canid native to Central, South and Southeast Asia. Other English names for the species include Asiatic wild dog, Indian wild dog, whistling dog, red wolf (not to be confused with Canis rufus), red dog, and mountain wolf.

The dhole 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. During the Pleistocene, the dhole ranged throughout Asia, Europe and North America but became restricted to its historical range 12,000 to 18,000 years ago.