Atelocynus microtis

The small-eared fox is a medium-sized canid, 72–100 cm long, 35 cm tall at the shoulder, and 24–35 cm long tail; it weighs 9–10 kg. It has a large, fox-like head with short, rounded ears, short legs, and a long, bushy tail. The fur is short, thick, smooth, and dark, and may be brown, black, or gray, fading to a dark reddish brown on the underside. It is adapted to wetland environments with high rainfall. It has a narrow black collar, a black stripe running from the top to the back and tail, and a band of lighter hair around the pubic area and base of the tail. Individuals may exhibit different color patterns, but it is unclear whether these variations reflect age, distribution, molting, or other factors. The small-eared fox has a partial interdigital membrane due to its tendency to live near water sources. It has a clearly visible tapetum, which makes the eyes reflect brightly in low light conditions. Compared to its South American fox relatives, the small-eared fox is quite large. Com

It lives mainly in Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru east of the Andes Mountains in northern South America, as well as in the Brazilian Amazon River Basin.
It prefers to inhabit undisturbed lowland tropical rainforests in the Amazon region of South America. In these lowland forests, there are terrestrial forests occupied by terrestrial microorganisms, swamp forests, bamboo forests and primary forests along river areas. It lives in areas close to water or heavy rains, and its short limbs allow it to move easily in dense forests. And there are some reports of small river dolphins swimming in rivers, along riverbanks and waterways of streams. Whether the species is able to use other habitats remains unknown, but individuals have been found in lowland forests bordering tropical savannas. But there are very few records in areas with significant human activities or impacts.

Short-eared Dog (scientific name: Atelocynus microtis) is also known as Short-eared Dog. They are more agile than most dogs when exercising and are more cat-like than dogs.

Given its strong odor, anal gland secretions may be used to communicate information between small-eared dogs. It is a timid and shy animal. It can growl and show its teeth to express anger. Although females are about 1/3 larger than males, it has been observed that the latter is dominant in most cases. Males in estrus emit a strong musky scent. They move very cautiously and rarely make any noise. Birthing occurs in the dry season, and the length of the breeding and gestation period is unknown.

The small-eared dog is a diurnal animal. During the field study, 95% of the observations were during the day. However, there is also a small amount of activity at night. Cameras have captured footage of them walking and swimming in the forest at night. So the small-eared dog may be active at any time of the day or night.

The small-eared dog is a carnivore, preying on fish, insects, small mammals, amphibians, birds and reptiles. But it also seems to eat some fruits. Fish is the most common food in their diet, but it also includes insects and mammals such as agouti, marsupials, and small rodents. About 10% of the samples contained remnants of various cucurbits and fruits such as jackfruit. Remnants of frogs, crabs, reptiles, and vegetable fibers were also found in some samples. There are also some reports of small-eared dogs killing and eating poultry. Captive individuals in Bogota, Colombia were fed raw meat, kikuyu grass sprouts, and food that humans would normally eat.

Small-eared dogs are also considered seed dispersers, as germinated fruit seeds have been found in their feces. They may be prey for ocelots, jaguars, and pumas. Small-eared dogs are hosts to various viruses. Common canine distemper virus and canine parvovirus affect this species and are transmitted by domestic and wild dogs.

Little is known about the mating system of the small-eared dog, females have been found with pups in a few cases, but there is no information on how to attract a mate or how their mating system works. The breeding season is unknown, but breeding is thought to be seasonal. Based on the findings of small-eared dog subadults, small-eared dogs give birth in May or June. Pups have also been found in the months of April, September, November, and December, indicating that the birthing period occurs during the dry season. However, when the breeding period and the length of the gestation period are unknown. Adults have been found with 2 or 3 pups in dens in hollow logs or paka caves. Information on weaning or when the pups reach sexual maturity is unknown.

No one knows the life expectancy of the small-eared dog in the wild. In captivity, most small-eared dogs do not survive a full year. However, two captive animals survived for 9 and 11 years respectively.

With a population estimated at only 15,000 individuals in a 2011 IUCN survey, the small-eared dog is one of the rarest carnivores in South America. The main threats to the species are habitat loss and diseases transmitted by domestic dogs. These diseases include canine distemper virus and canine parvovirus. There are few reports of small-eared dogs being hunted for meat, and there are no reports of hunting for fur. The small-eared dog is not listed in the CITES appendix, but they are listed as endangered and protected under Brazilian law, and are also on the endangered species list of Colombia. In Peru, the species has been removed from the list of protected species. Despite efforts to protect the small-eared dog in some South American countries, no conservation measures have been taken to increase the species' population. In addition, there is no known small-eared dog in captivity, although some have been kept in zoos in the past. Scientists are conducting research on the small-eared dog in Peru. Efforts are underway to vaccinate domestic dogs throughout the range of the small-eared dog to prevent the spread of the disease, and efforts are underway to expand ecological and conservation research outside Peru.

Listed in the 2011 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species ver 3.1 - Near Threatened (NT).

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