Details
Speothos venaticus
Bush dog is a mammal associated with forests, savannas and freshwater habitats. It is carnivorous and social. Decline or fragmentation makes continued monitoring important.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Its range is represented here by the Neotropics, where it uses forests, savannas and freshwater habitats. Mobile species may shift habitat use with season, breeding sites, or food availability.
Typical length 57-75 cm, weight 5 kg-8 kg. It has a long-bodied carnivore profile, with proportions shaped by its habitat and mode of movement.
It is mostly active by day and social. Spacing, group size, and visibility can change with season, feeding conditions, and breeding activity.
It is carnivorous. Food choice and foraging style are tied to life in forests, savannas and freshwater habitats, so movements often follow available food resources.
As a mammal, it gives birth to live young, and the mother nurses them in cover or within the social group.
Recorded scientifically as Speothos venaticus. Decline or fragmentation makes continued monitoring important. In this guide, size, habitat, and activity pattern are useful first clues for recognition.
