Meet the bush dog

Check out these bush dogs caught on camera trap!

Get to know me:

• I am a bush dog (scientific name: Speothos venaticus).
• I am a canid – a canid is a group of dog-like mammals that includes foxes, wolves, coyotes, jackals, dingoes, and other dog-like species.
• I am most closely related to the maned wolf and the African wild dog.
• I am found in parts of Central America and South America, but I am rarely seen.
• I live in the rainforest and also other habitats like savannas.
• I am a carnivore – a meat eater – and I eat rodents.
• I am small and muscular and I have a short tail.

I am a dog-like animal, but some people think I look somewhat like a small bear. What do you think?

Bush dog:

Brown bear:

What features of mine are similar to the brown bear? How do I look different from the bear? Do I remind you of any other dog-like animal?

Fantastic! Well done. We become better observers of nature when we notice the similarities and differences between types of animals (or plants!).