Bush Dog Speothos venaticus

Bush Dog Speothos venaticus

IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

Extant (resident): Bolivia; Brazil; Colombia; Ecuador; French Guiana; Guyana; Panama; Paraguay; Peru; Suriname; Venezuela.

Presence Uncertain: Argentina

The enigmatic Bush #dog was once believed to be extinct, however they have now emerged from the shadows. These elusive canids show remarkable teamwork and intelligence with strategic hunting tactics. They divide into land and water based groups when pursuing elusive prey like the paca. Despite their shy nature, Bush #dogs break their silence with peculiar calls, a vocal repertoire that serves as a means of communication and warning within the pack. Adorned in reddish hues, they bear the nickname ‘zorro,’ reminiscent of a fox, while their distinctive vinegar-like scent has earned them the moniker ‘vinegar dog’.

They are classified as Near Threatened due to their range disappearing for cattle grazing, palm oil, soy, eucalytpus and other monoculture crops. Not enough is known yet about their lives to assess the damage. Fight for them every time you shop and be #vegan #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Appearance & Behaviour

Bush Dogs have webbed toes and are known for their excellent swimming abilities. They are the ultimate carnivores and dine mainly on agoutis, armadillos, paca, small mammals, rodents and reptiles.

Adult bush dogs sport soft, long brownish-tan fur with a lighter reddish hue on their heads, necks, and backs. Their tails are bushy, and the undersides are dark, sometimes with a lighter throat patch. However, young ones have black fur all over. They are typically 57–75 cm long with a 12.5–15 cm tail and a shoulder height of 20–30 cm. These wild dogs have short legs, a short snout, and relatively small ears. Their teeth are adapted for eating meat. Females have four pairs of teats, and both males and females have large scent glands. Interestingly, bush dogs have partially webbed toes, making them excellent swimmers.

Threats

Human-related threats and habitat encroachment are the main threat to the existence of Bush Dogs. This includes massive deforestation for monocultures throughout their range including for soy, palm oil, eucalyptus and pine. This leads to a reduction in the availability of prey species. Increased interactions with domestic dogs risks the spread of pathogens from these dogs to Bush Dogs.

• Habitat Threats:
  • Human encroachment and habitat loss due to large-scale agriculture (e.g., soybean and palm oil), land conversion to pasture, and monoculture tree plantations (e.g., eucalyptus and pine).
• Prey Reduction:
  • Illegal poaching and predation by domestic dogs contribute to a reduction in prey abundance, impacting the Bush Dog’s survival.
• Disease Risks:
  • Increased risk of contracting lethal diseases from domestic dogs, including mange, parvovirus, rabies, Dioctophyma renale, Amphimerus interruptus, Lagochilascaris sp., and Echinococcus vogeli. Captive animals are susceptible to various diseases, highlighting their sensitivity and the potential threat from exposure to pathogens. Proximity to human areas and interaction with hunting dogs elevate the risk of disease exposure, emphasizing the need for conservation efforts.

Habitat

Bush Dogs are habitat generalists, often found near water sources like small streams where prey densities are higher. They’ve been spotted in various lowland forested habitats, including primary and gallery forests, semi-deciduous forests, and seasonally flooded forests. These adaptable creatures have been observed in cerrado habitat, pampas edge/riparian areas, and even unique environments like caatinga, chaco, and coastal mangroves. Interestingly, they have been seen several kilometres away from forest habitats. While there’s no clear habitat preference, some evidence suggests a preference for intact savanna and forest habitats.

Diet

The Bush Dog, a fascinating carnivorous species, exhibits a diverse diet influenced by their geographical location and habitat type. In the Pantanal region of Brazil, their primary food source is the Nine-banded Armadillo, constituting a substantial portion of their diet. On the other hand, in the interior Atlantic forest in Paraguay, the diet includes Agoutis, Paca, small mammals, rodents, reptiles, and various fruits like Cecropia. Notably, the availability of fruit in their diet increases when provided in captive settings, highlighting the adaptability of their feeding habits. However, the increasing threat of palm oil, meat and soy deforestation poses a significant risk to their food sources, emphasising the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect these unique carnivores.

Mating and breeding

Bush Dogs engage in year-round mating, with oestrus lasting up to twelve days and occurring every 15 to 44 days. Similar to other canids, their mating involves a copulatory tie, where the animals are locked together. Preceding copulation, urine-marking plays a significant role in their behavior. The gestation period ranges from 65 to 83 days, typically resulting in a litter of three to six pups, although larger litters of up to 10 have been reported. Newborns are initially blind and helpless, weighing between 125 to 190 grams. Their eyes open after 14 to 19 days, and they emerge from the nativity den shortly thereafter. Weaning occurs around four weeks, and sexual maturity is reached at one year. In captivity, they can live up to 10 years

Support Bush Dogs by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife

Support the conservation of this species

This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.

Further Information

DeMatteo, K., Michalski , F. & Leite-Pitman, M.R.P. 2011. Speothos venaticus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011: e.T20468A9203243. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T20468A9203243.en. Accessed on 27 December 2023.

1. Bush Dog Wikipedia article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_dog

2. Bush Dog on Animalia.bio https://www.animalia.bio/bush-dog

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