A rare record of bush dogs (Speothos venaticus) in a peri-urban area of Cerrado in Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Abstract

Bush dog (Speothos venaticus) is an endangered wild canid, about which there are still several gaps of knowledge. The species has large home range and can live in environments altered by human activities but requires native habitats. Bush dogs are classified as “endangered” in the Cerrado biome, and the main threats are habitat loss, contraction of diseases from domestic animals and killing by dogs and humans. To contribute with data on the species, we report an unexpected and unprecedented encounter with five bush dogs in a peri-urban reserve, an environment that lies between activities of the Kinross mining company and a residential neighborhood of Paracatu-MG, Brazil, in July 2021. At the time, the animals were seen while marking territory with urine and fecal mucus on a trail widely used by humans and domestic dogs. This is an important and relevant record because, in addition to being unprecedented, as it occurred in a peri-urban environment, it demonstrates the importance of conservation and protection of local areas of native vegetation in the Cerrado biome. Speothos venaticus still needs to be further studied, and effective measures to protect the species, such as population control and health care actions targeting domestic dogs are urgent.