The bush dog is a rare, little known and unusual canid. It has a rather squat body and is said to look more like a mustelid (the family of badgers and otters) than a member of the dog family (2). It is adapted to a semi-aquatic life amongst the forest (4), and has short legs, a short, bushy tail, a rounded muzzle and ears, and webbed feet (2). The head and neck are reddish in colour, and the brown back becomes darker towards the tail. The underside is dark in colour and there is occasionally a lighter throat patch (2). A large range of contact calls are produced, possibly because visual communication is difficult in the forest (4). Three subspecies are known: Speothos venaticus panamensis is found in northwestern South America and is small in size and lighter in colour;Speothos venaticus venaticus occurs in the Amazon River basin and is medium-sized and dark in colour; Speothos venaticus wingei is found in south-eastern Brazil and is light in colour and of a similar size to Speothos venaticus venaticus (4).
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