Researchers published data this week from 25 years of camera-trap records in Bolivia and Peru showing the short-eared dog is more widespread than previously feared.
Known as the "ghost dog" due to its extreme elusiveness, the fox-like carnivore features unique webbed feet for swimming in the jungle's swampy terrain. While sightings remain rare for the average person, the data confirms these predators are stable across large corridors of untouched rainforest. Scientists emphasize that the species serves as a vital indicator of forest health, as they cannot survive in degraded or fragmented habitats. Conservation groups are now using these new population maps to identify and protect the most critical "intact forest" zones across South America.
Scientists will continue monitoring these remote areas to see how climate change impacts the dogs' food sources.
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