If you are a member of the press, please contact:

MINNESOTA ZOO TO RING IN 2012 WITH NEW EXHIBIT ENDANGERED ASIAN WILD DOGS (“DHOLES”) ARRIVE
Zoo just third in the country to exhibit

Apple Valley, MN – December 28, 2011: The Minnesota Zoo will ring in the New Year with a brand new species on exhibit: endangered Asian wild dogs, otherwise known as “dholes.” The exhibit officially opens to the public on Friday, December 30 (media are invited Thursday, December 29 at 8:45 a.m. for a preview).

Dholes (pronounced dōls), a primitive canine species, are very social pack animals. Highly adaptable, they live in diverse habitats in Thailand, Russia, China, and India in areas with plenty of prey, water and suitable den sites. Exclusive carnivores, dholes eat mostly small to medium-sized deer and wild boar.  Often hunting in thick brush and forests, they rely on their keen sense of smell to find prey.

With less than 2,500 in the wild, dholes are an endangered species. Due to rapid human population growth in Asia, their major threats include habitat loss, lack of prey, and disease from domestic and feral dogs. The Minnesota Zoo supports dhole conservation in Thailand.

Dhole Fun Facts

• They have very powerful jaws
• Aggressive and relentless predators, they hunt cooperatively to bring down prey up to ten times their size. 
• They sometimes harass much larger predators, even tigers, in efforts to steal their prey. 
• The Asian wild dog attacks prey by biting onto its nose, allowing others in the pack to attack from all sides.

More information on dholes.

The Minnesota Zoo is located in Apple Valley, just minutes south of Mall of America. For more information, call 952.431.9500 or visit mnzoo.org. The Minnesota Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and an institutional member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).