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. 2025 Feb 7;15(4):463.
doi: 10.3390/ani15040463.

Distribution Patterns and Ecological Determinants of Suitable Habitats for the Dhole (Cuon alpinus) in China

Yuangang Yang  1 , Peng Luo  1 , Yu Zhao  1 , Tongzuo Zhang  2   3 , Feng Jiang  2   3 , Zhangqiang You  1
Affiliations

Distribution Patterns and Ecological Determinants of Suitable Habitats for the Dhole (Cuon alpinus) in China

Yuangang Yang et al. Animals (Basel). .

Abstract

As a keystone predator within forest ecosystems, the dhole (Cuon alpinus) plays a pivotal role in shaping the population structure and dynamics of these biomes. In China, dhole populations have experienced a dramatic decline, primarily due to habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and other historical factors. However, the distribution patterns of suitable habitats and the key environmental factors influencing their suitability remained unclear. In this study, we employed the MaxEnt model to assess the habitat suitability for dholes across China. The results revealed that the primary factors influencing the distribution of potential suitable habitats for dholes were the mean diurnal range (Bio2), temperature seasonality (Bio4), minimum temperature of the coldest month (Bio6), and elevation. Potentially suitable habitats were predominantly located in the central-western and northwestern regions, with scattered distributions in the southeastern parts of China, while areas of high suitability were mainly concentrated in the central-western region. The proportion of suitable habitats varied significantly among the nine provinces analyzed. This study clarified the distribution patterns of suitable habitats and identified the key environmental constraints affecting dhole distribution in China. The findings provide critical ecological data to support the conservation and management of dholes in the region.

Keywords: MaxEnt model; dhole; environmental factors; potential suitable habitat; wildlife conservation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the study’s design, in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data, in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Map of dhole distribution points in China (A) and the accuracy analysis curve of the MaxEnt simulated dhole spatial distribution (B).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Analysis of environmental factors influencing dhole distribution including mean diurnal range (A), temperature seasonality (B), altitude (C), minimum temperature of coldest month (D), annual precipitation (E), and precipitation seasonality (F). Comparison and analysis of the environmental factors across different provinces including altitude (G), annual mean temperature (H), mean diurnal range (I), temperature seasonality (J), minimum temperature of coldest month (K), and annual precipitation (L).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Habitat suitability distribution analysis of dholes in China (A) and the major provinces including Guizhou (B), Sichuan (C), Guangxi (D), Yunnan (E), Hubei (F), Shaanxi (G), Gansu (H), Xizang (I), and Xinjiang (J).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Habitat suitability distribution analysis of dholes in China (A) and the major provinces including Guizhou (B), Sichuan (C), Guangxi (D), Yunnan (E), Hubei (F), Shaanxi (G), Gansu (H), Xizang (I), and Xinjiang (J).
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