They captured the first live specimen of a “ghost dog” in Bolivia

The Environmental News Agency (ANA) Reported from Bolivia First specimen of “ghost dog” captured alive in that country.

Also known as “Amazon dog” (“Atelocynus microtis”), the animal barks, there is a peculiar “jump” when walking, a duck has a membrane between its toes – it is an excellent swimmer-; and feeds on small mammals, fish, fruits and reptiles, the company said in its report.

In Bolivia, This is the first specimen captured alive And, curiously, it was seen by an agronomist in the urban area of ​​the Amazonian department of Beni. ERNESTO CARLOS BALTERRAMA TORRIGOBeni “Jose Bolivian” from the Autonomous University.

Torigo was in charge of recording a video on February 3 Animals can be seen within the university campus Education Institute said. “I immediately sent the video to the doctor (veterinarian). Marco Kreminger Cespedes After mentioning the exact location where he shot,” he said.

With the help of Kreminger and veterinary student Julio Cesar Yabeta, They captured the “ghost dog”. Taking refuge in an unused air duct, he was careful not to damage it.

According to Environmental News Agency, It was Yabeta who devised the protocol of animal capture. “The work of catching this ghost dog alive is incredible,” he said; When adding:He entered the kennel and he was very thin. I give him 350 grams of chicken liver with folic acid, legs and oral rehydration. He ate 10 pieces that I put.

The company pointed out that A young animal of 7 to 8 months of age. “He is not mature because his sperms have not yet descended from the abdomen,” she explained. They ruled out that it was a woman, as first suspected.

“It has a strong characteristic smell, stronger than a porcupine, stronger than a fox, and it is very sour,” they noted.

These animals are very elusive in the Amazon basin. Visitors to the tropical forests of South America are more likely to see a jaguar than to see this solitary creature.

“They are very strange and hard to see”, explained the veterinarian and ecologist Renata Light PittmanA researcher and recipient of a fellowship at Duke University National Geographic. He has been studying the short-eared dog, which lives only in the Amazon basin, for 14 years. During that time, he captured five animals on which he placed tracking collars. “They are very shy and completely different from pets”, he explained.

After capturing the animal, Bolivian experts were contacted Pittman Paul. “He gave me some information and I told him what the protocol was when I captured him (the ghost dog) and what food I gave him. We agreed and coordinated some measures. She suggested I give them away PapayaI had given him guava,” said Dr Kreminger.

Pittman called it “Unbelievable“Caught and greeted him:”Hi Mark. Greetings from Brazil! Good! Congratulations”, the ecologist revealed in a WhatsApp message accessible to him ANA.

The next step is to continue the investigation, and together with other colleagues they will write a scientific paper on the capture of the “ghost dog”.

Continue reading: