Mammals · Carnivora · Canidae
Bush Dog
Speothos venaticus
It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary
It is one of the most social canids in South America, hunting as a pack and splitting the work: some drive the prey overland while others wait in ambush in the water. Its partly webbed feet make it a fine swimmer.
Weight
5 kg – 8 kg
Size
57.5 cm – 75 cm
Lifespan
10 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
Hierarchical pack
Lives in an organised hierarchical group, typical of cooperative hunters.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
Fun facts
- anatomíaIt is one of the smallest and least dog-like of the wild canids, with short legs and a long body suited to hunting as a group in dense South American forest.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
- Habitat & environment
- Tropical forest, wet savannah and country near water in Central and South America
- Birth weight
- 125 - 190 grams
- Size at birth
- Blind and helpless at birth
- Sexual maturity
- Female: 10 months | Male: 1 year
- Gestation / incubation
- 63-83 days
- Litter / clutch size
- 1 to 10 young per litter (most commonly 3-6)
- Lifespan in captivity
- Documented record of up to 14.1 years in captivity
Sources consulted: AnAge; Creatures of the World Wiki; Animal Diversity Web; A-Z Animals; Britannica; Palm Oil Detectives; DinoAnimals; Animalia.bio
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapBest time: All year round in neotropical forests, by day; it is so scarce and wary that almost all records come from camera traps.
Where to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 10 de 34 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Bush Dog — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Near ThreatenedManed Wolf
Chrysocyon brachyurus
Least ConcernCrab-eating Fox
Cerdocyon thous
Near ThreatenedJaguar
Panthera onca
Margay
Leopardus wiedii
Near ThreatenedHarpy Eagle
Harpia harpyja
Ornate Hawk-Eagle
Spizaetus ornatus
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about bush dog.
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