Dholes, wild dogs native to Asia, are lean and lithe canines about the size of a German shepherd.

These predators have auburn fur, a black tail, amber eyes, and upright, rounded ears. Dholes—pronounced “DOLES”—are most genetically similar to African wild dogs.

Dholes live primarily in fragmented populations in southern and eastern Asia, and can adapt to many different landscapes, including forests, shrublands, and high mountain steppes. They den underground, sometimes repurposing old burrows left behind by hyenas or other animals.

The canines are very social, living in packs of various sizes, even as small as two. One study on pack size in India, which has the highest dhole population, reported that dhole packs were