Here is a piece of trivia you may not know:
All mammals under the order Carnivora (carnivorous) can be divided into two categories: "cats" (suborder "feliformia", meaning "cat-like") and "dogs" (suborder "caniformia", meaning "dog-like"). Among the approximately 280 species in this order, China has 12 "cats" and six "dogs."
To better appreciate those big cats in China, read this story:
Take a look at the amazing big cats in China
This time let's see some big dogs:
Among the six, the Tibetan sand fox may be the most easy to recognize due to its distinctive square face. In fact, the funny-looking fox has been a superstar among Chinese netizens and been made into multiple emojis. The raccoon dog is not a problem either. If you have difficulty telling it apart from the raccoon, check it out here:
See the difference! Raccoon, raccoon dog and red panda
The other four may be a little tricky, but there are some clues!
The name "wolf" usually refers to the grey wolf. /VCG Photo
The grey wolf: looks just like your neighbor's husky. It is the largest, strongest, and most widely distributed. The species used to be everywhere in Asia, Europe and North America. It is also one of the most studied animals with the closest relationship to humans.
The red fox. /VCG Photo
The red fox: red fur and black limbs/tail, always looks like its smiling. There are 19 species of fox worldwide, and the red fox is the one we are most familiar with. The charming character "Nick Wilde" in the popular cartoon "Zootopia" is a red fox.
The dhole, or Asian wild dog, Asiatic wild dog,Indian wild dog, whistling dog, red dog, and mountain wolf. /VCG Photo
The dhole: looks like a hybrid of a grey wolf and red fox. It's worth mentioning that the dhole has excellent flexibility and jumping ability. It is usually the top escape artist in the zoo. The amazing animal only distributes in Asia, and has been listed as "endangered" by IUCN with a small population of about 2,200 individuals.
The corsac fox in Beijing Zoo. /VCG Photo
The corsac fox: one of the smallest foxes, measuring only 45-65 cm, 1.6-3.2 kilo. The corsac fox lives in grasslands and deserts of Central and Northeast Asia. Inhabiting the arid area, it needs very little water to survive.
(Cover image via VCG)
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