Dholes do hunt in packs, but it is thought that they form large packs for a different reason.
Because they evolved to live in the same areas as tigers, leopards, and Asiatic lions, they needed to form larger packs to protect themselves from predation.
Something very similar can be seen in the African wild dog or “painted wolf” species, which lives where there are lions, leopards, and spotted hyenas that really love to kill them.
Wolves evolved where they are essentially the top predator. Only tigers and man have been proven to significantly limit wolf numbers, but wolves themselves limit the numbers of black bears (both Asiatic and American), coyotes, golden jackals, many species of foxes, and cougars, just to name a few.
Wolves don’t need big packs to protect themselves.
Dholes and African wild dogs do.
