Carnivore, Natural history

Canids are basically meat eaters, although some vegetable matter is taken. The gray or timber wolf (Canis lupus), the African hunting dog (Lycaon pictus), and the dhole, or wild dog of India (Cuon alpinus), are strictly carnivorous. The various foxes and jackals, coyotes, and the raccoon dog eat whatever food is abundant—small mammals, birds, insects, crustaceans, mollusks, fruits,