Category Nature Science & Wildlife

The howls of a dhole are enough to chill the spine of a wild boar or a sambhar deer. The dhole is a wild Asian dog with a notorious reputation of being a ruthless killer. It lives and hunts in groups of up to 20 animals.

Dholes are surprisingly small in size; they weigh between 12-18 kilograms and are smaller than medium-sized dogs. They hunt mainly during the dawn and at times in the moonlit nights. Dhole hunting parties are known to employ a variety of tactics to bring down their prey, including splitting into small scouting groups. They usually prey on mammals like wild sheep and deer, but they are also reported to attack animals as large as tigers and bears.

Dholes roam the jungles and montane forests of Central and East Asia. They are now facing massive habitat loss due to rampant deforestation.

Yet, dholes have been almost wholly ignored by conservationists, researchers and the general public.

Hyenas are popular scavengers and this reputation overshadows the tales of their hunting skills. Hyenas are in fact good hunters. Hyenas have good strength and stamina that aid them in hunting. In addition to hunting, hyenas are also known to drive off larger predators, like lions, from their kills!

The spotted hyena is the largest of all the species of hyena. They actively hunt medium and large-sized hoofed animals, even if they scavenge occasionally.

They may kill as many as 95 per cent of all the animals they eat. They kill and eat birds, lizards, snakes, and insects. A solitary spotted hyena can chase an adult wildebeest for a distance of five kilometers at speeds of up to 60 km per hour and bring it down alone.

The striped hyena is primarily a scavenger. But it will also attack and kill any animal it can overcome. It supplements its diet with fruit as well. A clan of hyenas is usually made of ten to fifteen members. The clan leader is a female and so are many elder members of the clan.

Picture Credit : Google

The red fox is an extremely adaptable predator. That is why they are seen throughout Europe, temperate Asia, northern Africa, and North America. In fact, it has the largest natural distribution of any land mammal except human beings. it is not a surprise that it is also called the common fox.

Unlike many other members of the canine family, red foxes are solitary hunters. They hunt either early in the morning before sunrise, or late in the evening. On an average, a red fox requires half a kilogram of meat a day. They prey on rodents, rabbits, birds, and other small animals. Their diet is as flexible as their choice of habitat. They also eat fruits and vegetables, fish, frogs, and even worms. They occasionally feed on garbage too.

Red fox is a species that has benefited from living near human habitats. There are domesticated red foxes in Russia.

The jackal is usually recognized as a scavenger but jackals are efficient hunters too.

For instance, the golden jackal preys on smaller mammals such as hares, rodents, and small antelope as well as the young ones of larger antelopes. It also eats snakes, beetles, crickets, spiders, fruits, and berries.

Black backed jackals prey on smaller mammals. They also eat seals. They attack ranches and feed on sheep and goats. Jackals hunt in groups, and rarely hunt alone. A solitary jackal stands a chance of only sixteen per cent success in hunts.

They are good runners and can maintain a speed of twelve to sixteen kilometers per hour for a long time while chasing a prey. A pack of jackals is typically made of an adult pair and yearlings staying with the family as helpers.

The Arctic fox is indeed a tough animal; it can survive the harsh and frigid Arctic temperatures. It has short rounded ears, a short muzzle, and fur-covered soles. This is an adaptation to the freezing cold climate of the Arctic region.

The behaviour of the Arctic fox depends on climate. It lives in burrows. During a blizzard, it tunnels into the snow to create shelter. During summers, it preys on rodents like lemmings. It occasionally feeds on birds as well. During the winters, the Arctic fox also preys on reindeer in addition to rodents and birds. Lemmings however, are their most common prey; a family of foxes can eat dozens of lemmings each day.

Often, it scavenges on carcasses left by larger predators such as wolves and polar bears. It also eats the eggs of many birds. When food is abundant, the Arctic fox buries the surplus as a reserve. This animal is hunted for its fur and this practice has led to a decline in its numbers.

Coyotes belong to the canine family and are smaller than wolves. They are also called prairie wolves at times. They are native to North America.

A keen sense of smell and sharp vision aid coyotes in hunting. They prey on deer, rabbits, hares, rodents, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. The diet of coyotes is not limited to animal meat alone. They eat fruits and vegetables too. They sometimes kill lambs, calves, or other livestock, as well as pets. So, ranchers and farmers regard them as destructive pests.

The hunting habits of coyotes are not as organized as that of wolves. They hunt in groups and rely more on the number of members rather than their strength. They require more effort and cooperation to harass and pull down a large prey. Humans pose a great threat to coyote populations.

Picture Credit : Google