Short-eared Dog
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Native to the rain forests of northern South America, the Short-eared Dog (Atelocynus microtis) remains a mystery Canidae species.
It's the sole member of the Atelocynus genus and tends to stay hidden among the low brush of the areas rivers, where it hunts fish and other local rodents and mammals.
Physically, the dark coat, long tail, long legs, long nose and short ears give it a look of both a dog and a fox.
Behaviorally, its tendency to be a lone hunter or a small family pack hunter aligns it more closely with the foxes rather than the wild dogs and wolves.
© 2010 Patricia A. Michaels