Detroit Zoo has bush dogs for first time in decades

ROYAL OAK (AP) -- Who let the dogs in? The Detroit Zoo did. The arrival of year-old sisters Miranda and Dolly marks the first time in four decades the zoo has had bush dogs. The Detroit Zoo said in a recent news release that only five other zoos in the U.S. care for the species. Native to South America, bush dogs are known for their low-to-the-ground build, with a shoulder height of only 12 inches. They can weigh up to 15 pounds. The wild canid sports long, reddish-brown fur and has webbed feet that make it an ideal swimmer in tropical rivers and wetlands. With fewer than 15,000 bush dogs in the wild, the species is listed as "near threatened" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list of threatened species. Published: Wed, Jul 6, 2011