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Short-eared dog Facts

Short-eared dog Facts
Short-eared dog is unusual type of wild dog that is native to South America. There are two subspecies of short-eared dogs that can be found in the lowland rainforests of Amazon. Short-eared dog prefers wet habitats and it usually lives near the rivers, streams or in the swampy areas. Even though short-eared dog is discovered in 1969, biology of this species is still largely unknown. Short eared-dog is rare and elusive animal. Habitat destruction and diseases (transmitted by domestic dogs) negatively affect number of remaining short-eared dogs in the wild. Short-eared dog is listed as near threatened species, which means that it can become endangered in the near future.
Interesting Short-eared dog Facts:
Short-eared dog can reach 28 to 39 inches in length and 20 to 22 pounds of weight. Tail is usually 10 to 14 inches long. Females are larger than males.
Short-eared dog can be reddish grey or dark brown with tinge of blue color. Abdominal side of the body is reddish colored and covered with scattered white hairs. Fur of short-eared dog is short, thick and composed of bristly hairs.
Short-eared dog has elongated head, pointed muzzle and small rounded ears. It has short legs and slender body that ends with long, bushy tail.
Short-eared dog lives close to the water and spends part of its life in it (semi-aquatic animal). Feet of short-eared dog are partially webbed to facilitate swimming and movement on the slippery ground close to the water.
Short-eared dog is also known as small-eared zorro, because it shares some morphological features with fox (zorro is Spanish word for fox).
Unlike other species of wild dogs, short-eared dog moves gracefully (this characteristic is typical for cats).
Short-eared dog is diurnal animal (active during the day), but it can be also active during the night.
Short-eared dog is an omnivore (it eats plants and meat). It often hunts near the creeks because it likes to eat fish, frogs and crabs. Other than that, short-eared dog consumes insects, reptiles, birds, small mammals and fruit.
Short-eared dog is a solitary creature, but it occasionally hunts in pairs.
Short-eared dog is rare in the wild because it competes for food with animals such as ocelot, jaguar and bush dog.
Large species of wild cats are main predators of short-eared dogs.
Males spray musk produced in tail gland when they are excited. Agitated males can be recognized by raised hairs on their backs.
Little is known about reproductive behavior of short-eared dog except that females give birth during the May and June. Pups spend first days of their life in the burrows of other animals or inside the hollow logs.
Researchers believe that short-eared dog reaches sexual maturity at the age of one year.
Life span of short-eared dog is unknown.


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