Sanuk, a five-year-old male dhole, pauses on a rocky outcropping as he explores his new three-acre habitat in the Asian Savanna area at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Sanuk and his pack of six other males and one female previously resided at the Safari Park’s off-site breeding center. They moved to their new habitat six weeks ago, providing more space for the Safari Park’s growing dhole population.
Dholes, also known as the Asiatic wild dog, red dog or whistling dog, are native to eastern and southern Asia, from Siberia in the north to the Malay Peninsula in the south. They are incredibly athletic, fast runners, excellent swimmers and impressive jumpers. Dholes use an eerie whistle to communicate with each other, as well as a variety of other noises, including clucks and high-pitched screams, that are not found anywhere else in the canid family.
Dholes are listed as endangered, mainly due to habitat loss. The San Diego Zoo Safari Park has 20 dholes, the largest group in managed care in the U.S. as part of its long-range conservation efforts for this species. The Safari Park is one of only two facilities in North America to have successfully bred Chinese dholes. Twenty dhole pups have been born at the Safari Park since 2003, including four 12-week-old pups currently at the off-site breeding center.
Photo taken on April 29 by Ken Bohn, San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
