Hi guys what's your favorite species of canid? My favorite is either the Grey Wolf or Dhole. One of my cousins saw a pack on a trip to India. I remember watching a documentary about dholes and being fascinated with there intelligence and beauty. What is your favorite species?
I think for me it would have to be the bushdog (which I have only ever seen in zoos). This species is a total enigma with so little known about it or its ecology, they are efficient little hunters, fascinating to watch and very endearing. A close second would be the maned wolf which I have researched / seen in the wild, worked with in captivity and have a soft spot for too.
My favourite is also the bush dog. I saw a photo in one of my first mammal books and noted that it looks so unlike other dogs. The bush dog appeared in the 'Observer's Book' of Dogs', which also included the thylacine (perhaps I should add this to Zoological Inaccuracies).
The thylacine was listed as a "dog" ? Totally agree about it looking unlike all other canids, it has a very unusual look indeed.
I really like Red Wolves, because of their appearance and unique colors. I also find it really interesting that they live in an isolated area where there aren't any wolves (or larger carnivores for that matter) left.
I've got a book called 'Wild Dogs' that has a chapter about thylacines, although it does say that thylacines are marsupials
It's a tough choice, but I would have to say the Coyote. It is a super adaptable animal, and can live in the hottest deserts to the coldest forests. Its one of those animals that you would want to be. I have also had a wonderful experience with these animals as a young child. My grandparents has a massive walking trail or "field". When I visit my grandparents house I always go back there, as great-horned owls, bobcats, Rabbits, badgers, and more awesome animals are found there. I've seen all of them there, (except for the bobcat, just tracks scat, and noise) but the first time I saw a coyote in the wild when I was seven was exciting. My cousins and I all had camped out in the field, and I stood watch. The coyote trotted across the path in front of us, not seeing all of us ducked under the grass. It was an exciting moment, and probably one Ill never forget.
African Hunting Dog; such well adapted predators, even if the one hunt I have witnessed live ended in failure (well done wildebeest!)
It was; a highlight of a Botswana trip where I was also surrounded by 600+ Elephants, and ate warthog for Christmas dinner!
I almost forgot about African Wild Dogs! They're one of my favorites as well, how large was the pack?
I bet it was amazing to see, they are indeed incredible predators and particularly when you consider the amount of stress and competition they are subject to from the larger feline and hyaena predators.
Yes, a very resilient and wiley species and one that unlike some of the other canids is not going to be impacted negatively by the anthropocene. In fact it has expanded its range throughout Central America to Panama and is almost expanding within South America thanks to adaption to urbanization. I have no doubt that it will eventually get across the Darien and begin colonizing Colombia and other countries of Northern South America.
Not nearly as adaptable as the coyote but it is worth mentioning that the maned wolf has also been observed to be expanding its range into the Amazonian region. As the rainforest is cleared savannah replaces it and the "wolf" moves in. By the way, the coyote WILL spread into other areas and countries, it is only a matter of time before it colonizes and establishes itself within Northern South America.
I would prefer the Amazon not to be cleared, but what has been done to forest felled is probably now irreversible so the "wolf" is there to stay I would imagine.
Oh I meant I was fine with the wolf just making its way to other areas. I am not supporting the destruction of ANY forest around the world, just to make that clear. Ill delete my post, it doesn't make much sense.
No, I understood what you meant, so no need to delete your post. I was just saying that the maned wolf is there to stay as a strange byproduct of deforestation of the Amazon similar to the coyote in Central America.
