In India, Dholes prey on Sambar, Chital, swamp deer, nilgai, blackbuck, gaur, wild pigs, ground dwelling birds and rodents. Chital make up the majority of their diet. In Siberia their diet includes Reindeer and in Tibet they are known to prey on sheep. Dholes hunt in packs and cooperate to catch their prey which they kill by eviscerating it in a similar way to how African Wild Dogs kill their prey.
Dholes have a gestation period of approximately 63 days. The young are born in an underground den with up to ten pups in a litter (although 4 is more usual). When giving birth and raising young, several females in the pack may share a single den. Once the pups are weaned, the entire pack will regurgitate food for the young. When the pack goes out hunting, some members will remain behind to guard the young pups in the den. The pups remain in and around the den for the first ten weeks of their lives, and by seven months old they are able to join the rest of the pack on hunts. The young are mature at 1 year old.
Edwin Low (31)
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