Scientific name:
Speothos venaticus
Conservation Status:
Near Threatened
Where to see them in the zoo:
Complex Carnivores
Fun Facts:
- Bush dogs typically hunt cooperatively and may be found in packs of up to 12 individuals.
- These highly social animals use vocalizations to communicate with other pack members.
- Bush dogs like to swim! Their webbed toes are well-adapted for a semi-aquatic lifestyle.
Bush Dogs
Size:
Length is 20 to 30 inches; weight is 12 to 15 pounds.
Length is 20 to 30 inches; weight is 12 to 15 pounds.
Range:
South America
South America
Lifestyle:
Bush dogs are diurnal (active during the day) and take shelter in logs or burrows created by other animals. Hunting as a pack helps these relatively small canines to bring down larger prey.
Diet:
Bush dogs are carnivores, preying primarily on large rodents.
Lifecycle:
Females give birth to litters of as many as six pups. Pups are sexually mature by the time they are a year old; lifespan is approximately 10 years.
Neighbors in the wild:
Andean bear, tapir, scarlet macaw, three-banded armadillo
Andean bear, tapir, scarlet macaw, three-banded armadillo
Population status and threats:
Threats to bush dogs include habitat loss and human encroachment.
