The dhole is a hypercarnivore, with a diet of at least 70% meat, the majority consisting of deer and other ungulates.
The dhole is a hypercarnivore, meaning its diet is made up of at least 70% meat. They require relatively high prey numbers in order to raise their sizable litters and sustain their large pack sizes. They will hunt both, small and large prey, and even scavenge.
Dholes eat wild berries, insects, and lizards. Packs of dholes feast on mammals ranging from rodents to deer. Some of the dhole’s favorites include wild boar and pigs, rodents and hares, wild goats, sheep, sombar deer, gaur, mouse deer, and occasionally a monkey. The majority of the dhole’s prey base consist of deer and other hoofed animals with a body mass of 40-60 kilograms.
Although this occurs on rare occasions, dholes will also prey on domestic livestock.
Seasonal changes occur in the dhole’s diet, reflecting seasonal changes in availability and numbers of prey.
Sources: (Andheria, Karanth, & Kumar, 2007; Carmignani; Chacon, 2000; Hance, 2015; Kamler, Johnson, Vongkhamheng, & Bousa, 2012; Kamler, et al., 2015; Karanth & Sunquist, 1995; Ramesh, Kalle, Sankar, & Qureshi, 2012; Selvan, Veeraswami, Lyngdoh, Habib, & Hussain, 2013; Thinley, et al., 2011; Van Valkenburgh, 1991)
Image: Anuradha
