Introduction to Canid Species Accounts

The species’ accounts represent the core of the IUCN Canid Action Plan. Each species’ account consists of a detailed entry summarizing the information available on the biology, abundance, population trends and threats facing the species.

Some readers may balk at the amount of information presented for each species. Ordinarily, species action plans restrict the amount of information they include on basic ecology and behaviour and emphasize the sections on conservation, abundance, threats and so on. This is still very much the policy followed here; however, the viewpoint of the editors was that the conservation, status and threats facing a species cannot be viewed independently of a species’ biology. Much of the information contained within the pages of this action plan has never appeared in published form before, and certainly never in such a summarized format. We believe that the inclusion of basic life-history information in this plan is crucial to fostering a clearer understanding of the sections on conservation and status, and that this information will, in itself, serve as important reference for future canid biologists. For this reason, the editors have sought to ensure that this action plan represents a detailed summary of all aspects of a species’ life history, without sacrificing on the real “meat and bones” of the plan.

Each species’ account has been prepared by one or more contributors, at the invitation of the editors. We have endeavoured to draw on the expertise of biologists and naturalists from many countries and, a s far as possible, those with first-hand experience and knowledge of the species concerned. The species' accounts are based primarily on published information (i.e., from books and journals), supplemented as far as possible with reliable unpublished material and personal observations from the author's own studies or other sources. The use of grey literature has been strongly recommended, and authors were also encouraged to correspond with other colleagues likely to have unpublished material or to be able to contribute unpublished data. Accounts on African canids benefited from our linking in with the Mammals of Africa project, being edited by Jonathan Kingdon, David Happold and Tom Butynski. For the most part, the information contained in the species accounts is derived from free-living populations. Occasionally, this has been supplemented by information from captivity (for example, details of longevity which often are not available for wild populations); for other species that have never been studied in the wild, information on captive animals has been consulted more extensively where available. Each profile was reviewed by two or more appropriate reviewers, either chosen by the authors or suggested by the editors.

To respect evolutionary affiliations and facilitate access to the reader, we follow a biogeographical approach (sensu Sclater and Sclater 1899), with species accounts listed under the relevant regional regions.

Thus, we have organized the species accounts in seven chapters that follow the major biogeographical regions recognized for mammals by Wallace (1876). For the sake of convenience, the names of the biogeographical regions are paired with the relevant geographical regions covered by the Canid Specialist Group various Regional Sections (Table 1). The Ethiopian region is divided into two distinct groups of species. Those species that occur in more than one such region are included in the region that encompasses the largest area of the species range.

Table 1 Biogeographical regions are paired with the relevant geographical regions covered by the CSG various Regional Sections
Biogeographic Region	CSG Regional Section
Neotropical (up to south Mexico)	South America/North & Central America
Nearctic	North & Central America
Palearctic	Europe/North & Central Asia
Ethiopian	Sub-Saharan Africa
Ethiopian	North Africa & Middle East
Oriental (south of the Himalayas)	South Asia & Australasia
Australasian	South Asia & Australasia

Because of the inconsistencies inherent in multi-author projects, the editors have requested authors to adhere to a strict set of guidelines in the compilation of the species accounts. While every effort has been made to make all species accounts conform to the same general structure and content, some idiosyncrasies remain evident. Far from detracting from the quality of the plan, we believe this only serves to make the plan a more interesting read! As far as possible then, and where available data allows, species accounts use the following format:

Scientific Name (Authority and Year). The currently accepted scientific name of the species is followed by the details of the author and the year in which the species was described. The latter appears in brackets where it is now included in a genus other than that in which the original author placed it.

IUCN Red List Category. The current (2003) Red List ranking, as assessed by the Canid Specialist Group using version 3.1 of the criteria (IUCN 2001). For information on the categories of canid species assessed by the Canid Specialist Group in 1996 see Appendix 1.

Preferred Common English Name(s). Where more than one English name is commonly used, the preferred name appears.

Author(s). The names of the author(s) responsible for researching and compiling the species account.

Other Names. These include further English names, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and other names for any major language (and listed alphabetically). Names under indigenous languages are those in use in localized areas. The indigenous language is given, followed by the names used in that language and the country in which the indigenous language is used.

Taxonomy. This begins with the ype pecies and escription. This is the full and original citation of the species name, followed by the type locality. This information largely follows Wozencraft (1993), although in some cases the authors or editors have seen cause to deviate from this rule. Refer to Chapter 2 for a detailed treatment of modern canid systematics.

Taxonomy. The taxonomy of the Family Canidae is dealt with in Chapter 2 of the Canid Action Plan. Within the species’ accounts, this section is used where the taxonomy of a species requires clarification, particularly where recent studies may have challenged the accepted nomenclature of certain species. These are discussed here as relevant. Details of chromosome number are provided where available.

Description. The purpose of this section is to provide the reader with adequate information to identify the species. As far as possible, the description of a given species is based on live specimens and includes details of general appearance, followed with a detailed description beginning with the head, parts of the head, body, legs, feet and tail. This section includes notes on pelage characteristics (i.e., colour, length, variation in different parts of the body, pattern, areas of bare skin), and special attention is given to diagnostic features and the relative size of ears, eyes, muzzle, tail, etc. In addition, unique or characteristic cranial and dental features are noted, as well as the dental formula of adults (i/i-c/c-p/p-m/m = total number of teeth).

Body Measurements: General body measurements are given separately in a table. These are either from previously published or unpublished sources and provide general morphometric data from a particular region within the range of the species.

HB	Head-Body Length
T	Tail
E	Ear
SH	Shoulder Height
WT	Weight

Subspecies: The number of currently accepted subspecies is given here (followed by the source), with details of their geographical range. Where relevant, details important for diagnosis are provided. If no species are currently recognized, the species is regarded as monotypic.

Similar species: The common name and scientific name of any similar species with which the current species could be confused, followed by details of how each similar species differs from the species being described (i.e., any description is for the similar species, not the one under the heading).

Current Distribution. The geographical range of the species, described from west to east, and from north to south. Range extensions or reductions, reintroductions and introductions, and disagreements about the range of a species are discussed here. The ranges of rare species or those with a very restricted distribution (e.g., Ethiopian wolf) are described in more precise terms. The spelling of geographical names follows that given in The Times Atlas (2003). Where information pertaining to the historical range of a species exists, the distribution is given in two separate headings, namely historical distribution and current distribution:

Historical distribution: Includes details and references for known historical data; evidence for assumed former range such as museum specimens, palaeontological and/or archaeological evidence, cave paintings and so on.

Range countries: A list of the range countries from which a species is known to occur (and listed alphabetically), followed by the most important sources from which this information is derived. Possible, but unknown, occurrences are indicated by (?).

Distribution Map. Each species account includes a map of distribution. The present distribution of the species is shadowed in a map of suitable scale. If the historic distribution of the species is known and differs significantly from present, it may be shown shaded in a lighter grain. Reliable single sightings within the last 10 years outside those areas are marked with crosses (X). Areas where species may be present but sightings unconfirmed are marked with a question mark (?).

Relative Abundance. A general indication of abundance in the habitat, including details of density and frequency of observations whenever that is available. Whenever possible, a table is presented with site-specific populations/relative abundance and population trend, summarized for each of its range states. Quantitative population estimates are usually obtained from total counts, ground surveys, questionnaire surveys and informed guesses by knowledgeable observers. Population abundance is indicated by: abundant (A), common (C), uncommon (U), rare (R), vagrant (V), present but abundance unknown (x), presence not confirmed (?), absent (-), extinct (Ex), probably extinct (Ex?). Population trends are indicated by: increasing (I), stable (S), decreasing (D), unknown (?).

Habitat. The preferred habitat and range of habitats, including details of rainfall, altitude and seasonal shifts in habitat. Details of any association with a specific plant, terrain, water availability, and so on, are also mentioned.

Food and Foraging Behaviour. This section is divided into three subheadings:

Food; Preferred food items; range of prey consumed; variation in diet in different ecosystems.

Foraging behaviour: Location of food; time when foraging occurs, including notes on activity; whether solitary or group hunters; sex/age differences in foraging; nomadic movements in relation to food availability; scavenging; food caching; how the species kills and handles its prey.

Damage to livestock or game: Whether species preys on domestic stock or impact on wild game, and associated economic significance.

Adaptations. Morphological (e.g., proportions, shape, dental structure), physiological (e.g., water metabolism, temperature regulation, moult), and behavioural (e.g., huddling, allo-suckling) adaptations that show how a species uniquely interacts with its environment.

Social Behaviour. Details of group structure, group size and composition, home range, territorial behaviour, greeting or agonistic behaviour, use of secretions and vocalizations.

Reproduction and Denning Behaviour. Physiological and morphological characteristics related to reproduction, including: spermatogenesis and details of oestrous cycle; courtship and mating behaviour; length of gestation; time of birth, including peaks of births and relationship to rainfall or food availability; litter size; birth weight and size; spacing of litters; pup development, and time to weaning and sexual maturity; behaviour of young; presence of helpers. This section may be supplemented with information from captive animals. This section also includes details of dens and burrows, such as location, type, structure, use of bedding material and so on.

Competition. Details of those species with which the current species is known to compete for food, dens or other resources.

Natural sources of mortality: Sources of mortality that can be regarded as being natural (i.e., outside of the influence of man); for example, effects of major predators on populations, starvation, death of young animals during dispersal and so on.

Persecution: Sources of mortality, with the exception of hunting and trapping for fur, which can be attributed to anthropogenic factors. For example, persecution of animals due to their preying on livestock and/or game, the capture of animals for the pet trade, and so on.

Hunting and trapping for fur: The impact of the fur trade as a mortality factor in the species, including details of the quantities of animals affected by hunting or harvesting; fur harvests and yields; peak years in the fur trade; fur prices; exports and imports.

Road kills: The impact of road traffic on populations, including information, where available, of numbers of animals killed.

Pathogens and parasites: Effects of pathogens and parasites on populations; susceptibility to particular diseases, pathogens and parasites (endo- and ecto-parasites); the importance of the species as a vector or reservoir of diseases of domestic stock and humans.

Longevity: The known or estimated longevity of the species. Where data from the wild are not available, this is supplemented by known records from captive animals.

Historical Perspective. The species’ importance in culture; traditional uses; conservation measures taken in the past.

Threats: The most important tangible and potential threats the species faces for its immediate or long-term survival.

Commercial use: Present human use and influence (e.g., fur trade, pet trade); international demand and marketing.

Occurrence in protected areas: The species' known occurrence in protected areas within the normal distribution range of the species. This section is not intended to provide an exhaustive listing of protected areas from which a particular species is known to occur, although we have attempted to be as comprehensive as possible for threatened species (e.g., dhole). For other species, such as black-backed jackal, we list only a few of the larger and better-known protected areas. The lack of adequate survey data means that our knowledge of the occurrence of some species in protected areas is poor (e.g., pale fox). In some accounts, this information is arranged according to country, in others it is presented in a more generalized manner. A useful resource for readers, and one that is set to improve over coming years, is the ICE Biological Inventory Database (online at: ), which features a searchable interface enabling users to find information on the occurrence of species in protected areas across the globe.

Protection status: CITES listing; threat status in national or regional red data books.

Current legal protection: Any protection status that is legally enacted or enforced for the express aim of protecting a species, including national legislation; whether hunting and trade are prohibited or regulated; legal protection; and legal status as problem animal.

Conservation measures taken: International treaties and conventions; traditional protection due to cultural reasons; establishment of protected areas; action plans; vaccination trials; other specific actions being undertaken or completed.

Occurrence in Captivity. Notes on whether the species is kept in captivity, and how successfully they breed in captive conditions. As far as possible, these have been checked with ISIS (International Species Information System based in Minnesota, USA, http://) and the International Zoo Yearbooks (Published by The Zoological Society of London as a service to zoos around the world since 1960). Captive breeding programmes, which have as their aim reintroduction of the species to areas in the wild, are discussed here.

Current or Planned Research Projects. A list of research projects currently being conducted on the species, including brief details of the project, its coordinators and their institutional affiliations. Future projects are also listed.

Gaps in Knowledge. Obvious gaps in our knowledge of the species that must receive priority in the next 10 years in order to improve our understanding of the respective species.

Core literature. A list of specific references that represent major works for the species References. General references are not given unless they represent the primary source of information. Full citations of all references mentioned in the text are provided in the Bibliography section.

Reviewer(s). The names of the reviewers responsible for reviewing and commenting on the species account.

Editor(s). The names of the editors responsible for editing and ensuring the comprehensive nature of the species’ account.Body Measurements.