Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing bush dogs. Most people have never heard of the bush dog, let alone seen one. These canines live in dense forests and wet savannahs of the southern most reaches of Central America and large parts of South America. They’re rare wherever they live, and very little information exists on their behavior in the wild. In fact, bush dogs were first discovered through fossils and, since they hadn’t been seen alive by the scientific community prior to this discovery, they were believed to be extinct! Today they live in fragmented populations and they’re currently listed as near threatened due to habitat loss.

Bush dogs look like small bears and have webbed feet like otters, but they’re canines like wolves. Genetic testing suggests that the bush dog’s closest living relative is the much longer legged maned wolf though we happen to think that they look a lot like the Tasmanian devil. What do you think? In size, bush dogs reach about two feet (61cm) in length and weigh about thirteen pounds (6kg). That’s just a bit bigger than Chester!

These canines are most often found near water. Not only are they efficient swimmers, they can dive and may chase meals into the water. This has given them another common name, the water dog. Bush dogs hunt in packs that can number up to twelve members. These packs communicate with grunts and squeaks which can help them stay together as they maneuver a dense environment. They eat agoutis, capybaras, and rheas - all animals we’ve talked about previously. When they hunt individually, they also take snakes and other reptiles, rodents, and insects. Like the dhole, they have fewer molars than other canines suggesting a mostly carnivorous diet, however bush dogs have been recorded eating fruit, as well.

A group of bush dogs is made up of a dominant male and female and non-breeding subordinates who help care for the young. There isn’t a distinct breeding season for bush dogs. The dominant female gives birth once a year and her litters consist of two to six puppies. Bush dog gestation lasts about 67 days and the pups are born in a den. Bush dogs use dens for more than births. They sleep in them at night as they’re diurnal animals. They may find a natural hollow in logs or root systems, take over an abandoned armadillo burrow, or dig their own with their strong front feet.

The pups remain in the den to nurse until they’re at least eight weeks old, though some reports suggest they stay as long as five months. During the nursing period the father brings the mother food and the subordinate members help guard and clean the puppies. It takes about a year for the pups to reach sexual maturity, but they may remain with their parent’s group for a time to learn how to raise babies from their mother. It’s believed they’ll eventually leave to form their own packs and they may live to be 10 years old.

Bush dogs may be the smallest living pack-forming carnivores alive today. While they tend to get along in their groups, they may still mark their territory to let others know they’re around. Like the dhole, female bush dogs stand up on their front feet to urinate and their urine is described to have a vinegar smell. This gives the bush dog another of their common names: the vinegar dog.

For more facts on bush dogs, check out the links below. Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today. Thank you to our Patrons SpikeSpiegel93, Dad, and everyone else for their support of this channel! Thank you to these viewers for today’s request! And thank you for watching Animal Fact Files!