Ghost dogs of the Amazon

Ghost dogs of the Amazon


Deep in the Amazon rain forest live dogs so elusive that many scientists trying to protect them have never even seen them in person.

The short-eared dog is a different species than our pooch pals. While most canid [CAH-nid] species roam in packs over relatively open terrain, short-eared dogs are loners that live only in the thick foliage of the Amazon. Even folks who spend lots of time in the rain forest rarely see these secretive animals — thus their moniker “ghost dogs.”

The dogs’ reproductive habits and population statistics remain a mystery. However, by examining fleeting bits of camera trap footage, researchers have mapped the ghost dogs’ natural range — at least enough to show that much of it is under threat of deforestation.

And so the challenge continues — trying to protect one of the most secretive animals on the face of the earth.

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