(Speothos venaticus), small, stocky carnivore of the family Canidae found in the forests and savannas of Central and South America. The bush dog is a rare species, and its numbers are declining as a result of the destruction of its natural habitat. The bush dog has short legs and long hair and grows to a shoulder height of about 30 cm (12 inches). It is 58–75 cm long, exclusive of its 13–15-centimetre tail. It weighs about 5–7 kg (11–15 pounds) and is brown with reddish or whitish forequarters and dark hindquarters and tail. Little is known of its habits, though it is reported to be nocturnal, to hunt in packs, and to feed largely on rodents.