North American Bush Dog Population

[Austin the Sengi]

Thanks to this article by the AZA, the names and sexes of Little Rock’s pups have been revealed.

The first two pups are confirmed to be male, and have been given the names (1.0) Train* and (1.0) Bernardo. As for the last pup, she, excitingly, is a female now known as (0.1) Beatriz!

Source: The Bush Dogs at Little Rock Zoo Are Now Proud Parents

*named after a detection dog of the same name

 

[USZOOfan42]

I hope detroit plans on breeding their bush dogs. This population could really use more pups, as I believe detroit is the only other zoo with a breeding pair. But it doesn't seem so likely as most of their animals they consider as "ambassadors for their species"

 

[USZOOfan42]

Detroit now has 0.0.3 bush dogs; so either another was imported or a pup was born. Find it amazing that the only zoos in the US with bush dogs are Little Rock, Detroit, Boston and Eureka. 2 new holders within a year; there might be hope in this limited population.
Edit- Do any facilities have underwater viewing? I know Detroit plans on having that for their upcoming exhibit.

 

[Coelacanth18]

Find it amazing that the only zoos in the US with bush dogs are Little Rock, Detroit, Boston and Eureka. 2 new holders within a year; there might be hope in this limited population.

*One new holder within a year - Detroit. The other three have had them for several years.

 

[USZOOfan42]

*One new holder within a year - Detroit. The other three have had them for several years.

Little Rock imported a pair, didn’t the last individual pass a few months before the new one arrived?

 

[Coelacanth18]

Little Rock imported a pair, didn’t the last individual pass a few months before the new one arrived?

Oh, might have. They've been working with the species for many years, I wouldn't consider them a new holder. But yes the import and breeding were both great news, I'm glad they are committed to them.

 

[Great Argus]

Detroit now has 0.0.3 bush dogs; so either another was imported or a pup was born. Find it amazing that the only zoos in the US with bush dogs are Little Rock, Detroit, Boston and Eureka. 2 new holders within a year; there might be hope in this limited population.

Eureka is down to one - and the remaining one is elderly. Not sure if they'd continue or not.
There is decent interest in potentially reviving the population but it will heavily rely on imports and facility commitment to go forwards.

 

[JVM]

The species continues to do well in Europe so the possibility of imports is there as long as there is US interest, and with Little Rock breeding and Detroit possible in the future, there will be bush dogs to go around. I know Miller Park had some interest before and I'd be very curious if Saint Louis might go back into them, given their former yard has never seemed 'fully' filled in since they left. Atlanta seems out of the picture from what I've heard and in general their rare carnivores seem to be a thing of the past.

 

[USZOOfan42]

Any ideas where Detroit sourced their 3 new bush dogs? Also, is that third a pup or another import?

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

The species continues to do well in Europe so the possibility of imports is there as long as there is US interest, and with Little Rock breeding and Detroit possible in the future, there will be bush dogs to go around. I know Miller Park had some interest before and I'd be very curious if Saint Louis might go back into them, given their former yard has never seemed 'fully' filled in since they left. Atlanta seems out of the picture from what I've heard and in general their rare carnivores seem to be a thing of the past.

@JVM, What it probably boils down to is that there is good collaboration between the EAZA EEP for bush dogs and the AZA Small Carnivora TAG group and there is less hassle in importing (and - perhaps - exporting) bush dogs either side of the Grand Atlantic Ocean...! Just happy meself that with bush dogs at least this is working.

For the long term overseas cooperation on hoofstock - long shot ..... I guess, Sure enough, there is massive leeway for improvement to unbuild the stumbling blocks put in place by the Department of Trade and Industries and Department of Agriculture ...).

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

Detroit, Little Rock, Sequoia Park and Stone currently hold the species. San Antonio, Atlanta and Saint Louis have held them relatively recently, and I know for sure at least the Saint Louis exhibit is still present and pretty much the same, and hasn't been used for any sensitive program species, and I assume the case for San Antonio, and from what I heard the Atlanta exhibit was only loosely repurposed. Miller Park obviously had some interest and hopefully still does.

If there is some breeding success, I think reaching eight holders is a possibility provided none of the above facilities have changed their minds too firmly against them.

What is the current status per institution of the bush dog population in US zoos (per collection)?

What I know:
Little Rock 1.1 + 2.1 offspring (young imported pair + their first nest)

Rumours:
Detroit 0.0.2 0 0.0.3 (sex/age)
Sequoia Park. ?.? (old/young ... sexes?)
Stone Zoo. ?.? (old/young ... sexes?)

(Lots to fill in ...).

 

[Jambo]

What is the current status per institution of the bush dog population in US zoos (per collection)?

What I know:
Little Rock 1.1 + 2.1 offspring (young imported pair + their first nest)

Rumours:
Detroit 0.0.2 0 0.0.3 (sex/age)
Sequoia Park. ?.? (old/young ... sexes?)
Stone Zoo. ?.? (old/young ... sexes?)

(Lots to fill in ...).

Sequoia Park is down to just a single female - 0.1 Nowak (2014).

Stone Zoo is down to just the two females (mother and daughter) - 0.1 Valentia (2013) and 0.1 Izzy (2018).

 

[USZOOfan42]

Detroit 0.0.2 0 0.0.3 (sex/age)

Likely 1.2 or 1.1.1, a USDA inspection report lists them, 2 in November of last year, and 3 in the summer of this year. Their upcoming exhibit will open this Spring (April).

 

[USZOOfan42]

Detroit's bush dog exhibit's rendering:

 

[Jambo]

Likely 1.2 or 1.1.1, a USDA inspection report lists them, 2 in November of last year, and 3 in the summer of this year. Their upcoming exhibit will open this Spring (April).

Bush Dogs live in pairs, so Detroit must have acquired a pair last year, of which have since had a litter with one surviving offspring.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

Sequoia Park is down to just a single female - 0.1 Nowak (2014).

Stone Zoo is down to just the two females (mother and daughter) - 0.1 Valentia (2013) and 0.1 Izzy (2018).

Thanks, for the update @Jambo!

I would say Sequoia Park may choose to continue with bush dogs, but the now 11-year old female is definitely post-reproductive. As for Stone Zoo, if they can source an unrelated male they could probably still breed from F Izzy (7-years of age), allthough she is at the upper end of breedable F.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

Detroit's bush dog exhibit's rendering:

I like their concept art and it seems like quite a substantial exhibit area for the bush dogs and enable them to have a larger breeding group with multiple cub generations!