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Journal article
New record of dhole Cuon alpinus in Vietnam, yet apparent decline of the species across the country
Oryx, Vol.First online
26/02/2026
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Abstract
The dhole Cuon alpinus was historically one of the most widespread large carnivores in Asia, but it has declined across its range as a result of habitat loss, hunting and prey depletion. There are few recent confirmed records of the species in Vietnam, and it has been reported as possibly extirpated. Here, we report a new camera-trap
record of a dhole in Pu Hoat Nature Reserve, in Nghe An province, north-central Vietnam. To our knowledge, this is the first confirmed record of the dhole in Vietnam in > 20 years. We are unable to determine whether the record represents a vagrant animal or a remnant population. However, this new record should be viewed in the wider context of the species’ decline across Vietnam. During 2014 - 2024 in addition to our study, 3,231 camera-traps were set in 1,657 stations across 31 sites that would have been within the species’ historical range but the dhole was not recorded. We conclude that, despite this new record, the species is likely extirpated across most protected areas in Vietnam.
Details
- Title
- New record of dhole Cuon alpinus in Vietnam, yet apparent decline of the species across the country
- Creators
- Van Tri Tin Nguyen - WWF-VN (Vietnam)Nguyen Anh Tuan - Vietnam National University, HanoiAn Nguyen - Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchThanh V. Nguyen - Re:wildDuy Le - Vietnam Academy of Science and TechnologyDung Van Tran - Vietnam National University of ForestryDai Phan Viet - Vietnam National University of ForestryThien Tri Ha - FFVPPhuong Van Nguyen - FFVPHa Viet Vu - FFVPToan Van Nguyen - FFVPAishwarya Maheshwari - FFVPPham Xuan Hoan - BNBNVan Son Le - BNBNQuy Tan Le - Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (Vietnam)Minh Le - Vietnam National University, HanoiTrung Tien Cao - Vinh UniversityOliver R. Wearn - Fauna & Flora Vietnam Programme (Vietnam)Jürgen Niedballa - Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchAndreas Wilting - Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchAndrew Tilker - Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research
- Publication Details
- Oryx, Vol.First online
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Grant note
- USAID Biodiversity ConservationDarwin InitiativeWyss FoundationPoint Defiance Zoo and AquariumAssociation of Zoo and AquariumsEva Mayr-Stihl StiftungManfred-Hermsen Stiftung for Nature Conservation and Environmental ProtectionWildlife Conservation NetworkGerman Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF): FKZ: 01LN1301A Wroclaw ZooSafari Club InternationalCritical Ecosystem Partnership FundAuckland ZooNational Geographic Society's Committee for Research and ExplorationSainte Croix BiodiversiteOcean Park Conservation Foundation Hong KongZoologische Gesellschaft fur Arten- und PopulationsschutzMohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation FundIDEA WILDGreaterGoodSouthern Institute of Ecology by VASTBMUV/KfW CarBi projects phases I and IIUSAID Green Annamites projectRe:wildGerman Academic Exchange ServiceRussell E. Train Education for Nature Program fellowship
We thank Save Vietnam's Wildlife for sharing data; team members and protected area management boards for their support; and the following supporters for funding: USAID Biodiversity Conservation (implemented by WWF-US and WWF-Vietnam), Darwin Initiative, Wyss Foundation, Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, Association of Zoo and Aquariums, Eva Mayr-Stihl Stiftung, Manfred-Hermsen Stiftung for Nature Conservation and Environmental Protection, Wildlife Conservation Network, German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF FKZ: 01LN1301A), Safari Club International, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, National Geographic Society's Committee for Research and Exploration, Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong, Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, GreaterGood, Wroclaw Zoo, Auckland Zoo, Sainte Croix Biodiversite, Zoologische Gesellschaft fur Arten- und Populationsschutz, IDEA WILD, Southern Institute of Ecology (project UDNGDP. 01/24-25, supported by VAST), the BMUV/KfW CarBi projects phases I and II (implemented by WWF-Vietnam), USAID Green Annamites project (implemented by ECODIT LLC and WWF-Vietnam), and Re:wild. AN received a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service. TAN received support through a Russell E. Train Education for Nature Program fellowship. Rob Steinmetz, Dusit Ngoprasert, Jan Kamler and Will Duckworth confirmed the species identification.
- Identifiers
- 991013354872502368
- Copyright
- © The Author(s), 2026.
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article