Speothos venaticus is squat in stature with a body length of 575-750 mm, tail length of 125-150 mm, and a height of 300 mm. The head is wide, has a short rostrum, and is covered with short reddish tan fur. The fur darkens to a dark brown or black towards the tail, and a light patch is found on the underside of the throat (Nowak 1999). The tail exhibits similar fur as the main body. In addition, Speothos venaticus has webbed feet, a diploid chromosome number of 74 (Wayne), and molars of 2/2 pattern (Hall 1981). In m1 the talonid trenchant and inner cusp (metaconid) are absent (Hall 1981).
Range mass: 5 to 7 kg.
Range length: 575 to 750 mm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 10.3 years.
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 10.0 years.
Speothos venaticus are found in forests and wet savannas. They are diurnal, inhabiting a den (burrow or hollow tree trunk) at night. They are semiaquatic and can "dive and swim underwater with great facility."
Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest
Speothos venaticus is strictly neotropical with a discontinuous range that extends from Panama to the northern limits of Argentina.
Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native )
Bush dogs prey mainly on large rodents such as acouchis (genus Myoprocta), agoutis (genus Dasyprocta), and pacas (genus Agouti); they may also prey upon animals of larger mass, such as capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) and rheas (Rheidae).
Animal Foods: birds; mammals; amphibians; reptiles
Primary Diet: carnivore (Eats terrestrial vertebrates)
Nowak (1999) states that Speothos venaticus "was first described from fossils collected in caves in Brazil." While Berta (1984) "showed that its... affinities lie with other South American canids, especially Atelocynus" (cited in Nowak, 1999), recent research utilizing mitochondrial DNA further suggests that Speothos venaticus diverged fairly early from other canids (Wayne, 1993).
Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical
Speothos venaticus exhibit low density populations. While protected in many countries, their populations are currently diminishing due to habitat destruction. The IUCN Red List rates the species as "Vulnerable" to extinction, because it is becoming divided up into small populations that are separated by unsuitable habitat.
Bush dogs are listed in Appendix I of of the CITES, so international trade in the animals or their products is supposed to be highly regulated.
There are several captive breeding programs at zoos around the world.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: appendix i
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: near threatened
N/A
Speothos venaticus possibly play an active role in controlling rodent populations.
Speothos venaticus is most likely a monogamous species.
Mating System: monogamous
Captive observations have indicated that Speothos venaticus groups form dominance heirarchies and can exhibit aseasonal reproduction patterns based on social interactions (Nowak 1999). Estrus usually averages 4.1 days, but may be suppressed by these interactions. Polyestrus cycles have also been observed. Estrus reportedly does not begin prior to 10 months of age and until after the pup is separated from other females and paired with males. The average period between observed births is roughly 238 days with a gestation period of 67 days. One to six pups are born with a mean of 3.8 pups which weigh 130-190 g and nurse from 8 weeks to 5 months.
Range number of offspring: 1 to 6.
Average number of offspring: 3.8.
Range gestation period: 65 to 70 days.
Range weaning age: 28 to 150 days.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous
Average birth mass: 160 g.
Average number of offspring: 4.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
Sex: male: 365 days.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female: 304 days.
Parental Investment: altricial
The bush dog (Speothos venaticus) is a canine found in Central and South America.[1][2] In spite of its extensive range, it is very rare in most areas except in Suriname, Guyana and Peru;[2][4] it was first identified by Peter Wilhelm Lund from fossils in Brazilian caves and was believed to be extinct.[4] The bush dog is the only living species in the genus Speothos,[1] and genetic evidence suggests that its closest living relative is the maned wolf of central South America[5] or the African wild dog.[6] The species is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.[7][8][9]
In Brazil it is called cachorro-vinagre ("vinegar dog") or cachorro-do-mato ("bush dog"). In Spanish-speaking countries it is called perro vinagre ("vinegar dog"), zorro vinagre ("vinegar fox"), perro de agua ("water dog"), or perro de monte ("mountain dog").
Adult bush dogs have soft long brownish-tan fur, with a lighter reddish tinge on the head, neck and back and a bushy tail, while the underside is dark, sometimes with a lighter throat patch. Younger individuals, however, have black fur over their entire bodies.[4] Adults typically have a head-body length of 57–75 cm (22–30 in), with a 12.5–15 cm (5–6 in) tail. They have a shoulder height of 20–30 cm (8–12 in) and weigh 5–8 kg (11–18 lb).[10] They have short legs relative to their body, as well as a short snout and relatively small ears.[4]
The teeth are adapted for its carnivorous habits. Uniquely for an American canid, the dental formula is 3.1.4.13.1.4.2 for a total of 38 teeth.[4] The bush dog is one of three canid species (the other two being the dhole and the African wild dog) with trenchant heel dentition, having a single cusp on the talonid of the lower carnassial tooth that increases the cutting blade length.[4] Females have four pairs of teats and both sexes have large scent glands on either side of the anus.[4] Bush dogs have partially webbed toes, which allow them to swim more efficiently.[11]
Speothos has a diploid chromosome number of 74,[12] and so it is unable to produce fertile hybrids with other canids.
Bush dogs are found from Costa Rica[13] in Central America and through much of South America east of the Andes, as far south as central Bolivia, Paraguay and southern Brazil. They primarily inhabit lowland forests up to 1,900 metres (6,200 ft) elevation,[4] wet savannas and other habitats near rivers, but may also be found in drier cerrado and open pasture.[2] The historic range of this species may have extended as far north as Costa Rica where the species may still be found in suitable habitat.[2][14][15] New, repeated observations of bush dog groups have been recorded in east-central (Barbilla National Park) and south-eastern (La Amistad International Park) Costa Rica, and a substantial portion of the Talamanca Mountains up to 120 km (75 mi) to the north-northwest and at elevations up to 2,119 m (6,952 ft).[16] Very recent fossils dating from 300 AD to 900 AD (the Late Ceramic Age) have been found in the Manzanilla site on the eastern coast of Trinidad.[17]
There are three recognised subspecies:[1][4]
Bush dogs are carnivores and hunt during the day. Their typical prey are pacas, agoutis, acouchis[20] and capybaras, all large rodents. Although they can hunt alone, bush dogs are usually found in small packs. The dogs can bring down much larger prey, including peccaries and rheas, and a pack of six dogs has even been reported hunting a 250 kg (550 lb) tapir, where they trailed the animal and nipped at its legs until it was felled. When hunting paca, part of the pack chases it on land and part wait for it in the water, where it often retreats.[4]
Bush dogs appear to be the most gregarious South American canid species. They use hollow logs and cavities such as armadillo burrows for shelter. Packs consist of a single mated pair and their immediate relations, and have a home range of 3.8 to 10 square kilometres (1.5 to 3.9 sq mi).[4] Only the adult pair breed, while the other members of the pack are subordinate, and help with rearing and guarding any pups.[21] Packmates keep in contact with frequent whines, perhaps because visibility is poor in the undergrowth where they typically hunt.[22] While eating large prey, parents position themselves at either ends of the animal, making it easier for the pups to disembowel it.[4]
Bush dogs mate throughout the year; oestrus lasts up to twelve days and occurs every 15 to 44 days.[23] Like many other canids, bush dog mating includes a copulatory tie, during which the animals are locked together.[23] Urine-marking plays a significant role in their pre-copulatory behavior.[24][25]
Gestation lasts from 65 to 83 days and normally results in the birth of a litter of three to six pups, although larger litters of up to 10 have been reported.[4] The young are born blind and helpless and initially weigh 125 to 190 grams (4.4 to 6.7 oz). The eyes open after 14 to 19 days and the pups first emerge from the nativity den shortly thereafter.[4] The young are weaned at around four weeks and reach sexual maturity at one year.[26] They can live for up to 10 years in captivity.[4]
Bush dogs are very little known compared to other canines of the World and their conservation is still in the beginning stages. The species is so uncommon that when bush dog bones were discovered in a cave in 1839, paleontologist Peter Wilhelm Lund thought that they were already extinct.[7] However, bush dogs are not extinct and studies suggest that bush dogs are able to live in a wide variety of habitats and are a generalist species.
Some barriers to bush dog conservation include their dense habitat and very scattered population making them difficult to locate, the need for very large areas not disturbed by humans for the bush dogs to live in because they live and hunt in packs, and their very shy nature. The species is currently listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN because of an estimated 20–25 percent loss in numbers over the latest 12-year period.[9] The main threats to bush dogs in the wild are in order of most important: habitat loss, including fragmentation, the loss of prey species because of human poaching and diseases that they can get from the domestic dog populations that they come across. The type of habitat loss that is affecting bush dogs the most is clear cutting of trees in the amazon and other good habitats for wood, cattle farming and palm oil. Disease from domestic dogs is slowly becoming a bigger and bigger problem for bush dogs, because of human encroachment they now share more of their habitat than ever with potentially unvaccinated domestic dogs. Hunting of bush dogs is prohibited in most of their range, countries banning the hunting of the species include Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Bolivia, Panama and Argentina. There is nothing that explicitly bans bush dog hunting in the laws of Guyana and Suriname. Another issue is that many of the countries that the bush dog lives in have limited resources in place to enforce the wildlife laws that are made.
Currently scientists are using a number of different methods to try and create a management plan for bush dogs. Traditional camera traps have not worked well in evaluating the species because of how shy they are so scientists have deployed scent-detecting dogs to try and find the bush dogs burrows where they rest at night.[8] The hope is to be able to collect better data about habitat use of the species, what kind of prey they hunt, and how and when the cubs branch off from the pack. There are protected areas that exist throughout the bush dogs range such as the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve which will theoretically be able to support feeder populations. In good news for the species, as recently as 2020, bush dogs were caught on camera traps in the Talamanca Mountains of Costa Rica suggesting that they may be expanding their range northward and even higher in elevation than previously thought possible. This could mean that if humans put in a concerted effort to try and save bush dogs the species will be able to respond well and keep a steady population or maybe even gain in numbers.
The bush dog (Speothos venaticus) is a canine found in Central and South America. In spite of its extensive range, it is very rare in most areas except in Suriname, Guyana and Peru; it was first identified by Peter Wilhelm Lund from fossils in Brazilian caves and was believed to be extinct. The bush dog is the only living species in the genus Speothos, and genetic evidence suggests that its closest living relative is the maned wolf of central South America or the African wild dog. The species is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.
In Brazil it is called cachorro-vinagre ("vinegar dog") or cachorro-do-mato ("bush dog"). In Spanish-speaking countries it is called perro vinagre ("vinegar dog"), zorro vinagre ("vinegar fox"), perro de agua ("water dog"), or perro de monte ("mountain dog").
