Programming Windows Azure

Colophon

The animal on the cover of Programming Windows Azure is a dhole (Cuon alpinus). Nicknamed “red dog” by Rudyard Kipling in The Second Jungle Book, this canine species is also known as an Asiatic wild dog or Indian wild dog. Dholes are found in forests in India, southern Asia, Sumatra, and parts of Russia, but are classified as endangered animals. Disease, habitat loss, and the subsequent depletion of prey have all caused the population to decline. Humans also commonly hunt them, as dholes will attack livestock if they cannot find another food source. Presently, it is estimated that only 2,500 adult dholes remain in the wild, primarily in wildlife sanctuaries.

The dhole is a medium-size canine with rusty red fur (though regional variations of yellow and gray exist), a white chest and belly, and a bushy black tail. They are known for their extensive range of vocal calls—hisses, high-pitched screams, mews, squeaks, barks, clucks, yelps—and a strange whistle that is distinctive enough to identify the individual dhole making the sound.

Like wolves and other canids, dholes are a very social animal, living in packs with a strict hierarchy. There are more males than females within a pack, and usually only one dominant breeding pair. Dhole packs engage in activities like playing, grooming, mock-fighting, and of course, hunting. As a group, dholes can successfully attack and subdue much larger prey. They primarily feed on deer, but will also hunt hare, wild boar, or water buffalo. There ...