UK's only bush dog pups emerge from den at Chester Zoo
Five bush dog pups, the only ones born in the UK this year, have emerged from their den here at the zoo.
Born around a month ago to four-year-old mum Molly following a 65-day pregnancy, the youngsters are now beginning to explore their surroundings alongside their parents and older siblings.
The pups are part of a European conservation breeding programme, which helps maintain a genetically healthy population of bush dogs and safeguard the future of the species.
Richard Tyson, Carnivore Keeper at Chester Zoo said:
"At this stage, they're just little furry potatoes. They toddle around a bit, but mostly they huddle together in a pile.
"It won't be long before they're eating solid food, and we'll start providing them with little bits of chicken or rabbit to try over the next few weeks."
The pups weighed between 120g and 150g at birth, roughly the same weight as a can of sardines.
Keepers initially left Molly and her new family undisturbed in one of three dens, meaning the exact number of pups was unknown at first. One of the earliest signs that the birth had been successful was the sound of the youngsters, as bush dog pups make high-pitched chirping noises that sound surprisingly like birds.
Family life in the den
As the pups grow in confidence, their older brothers and sisters have been taking a keen interest in the new arrivals.
Richard said:
"The older brothers and sisters like to move the little pups around, but they have quite short legs, so they can't lift them fully off the ground. They get bumped around a bit and then you hear a lot of squeaking.
"That's when Molly comes over and tells them off. Dad Charlie has been protective too. It's all normal, the family is getting along well and the pups look healthy."
Protecting bush dogs in the wild
Bush dogs are found across parts of Latin America, where they live in family groups in a variety of habitats. Despite their wide distribution, they are often locally rare and face threats including habitat loss, hunting and disease.
Habitat loss and degradation remain a major concern, with activities including soy production putting pressure on areas where bush dogs and other wildlife live.
Supporting conservation across Latin America
Paul Bamford, Regional Field Programme Senior Manager for our Latin America conservation work said:
"We’re working on landscape projects in Latin America designed to support multiple species, including bush dogs.
“Soy farming has been identified as a key threat to bush dog populations, but research like this can help us understand the impacts on wildlife and inform better production standards for the industry.
“We hope the newborn pups at the zoo will help people discover a species they may never have heard of, and understand why protecting wildlife and habitats in Latin America is important.”
Our conservation teams have also recorded wild bush dogs using camera traps while monitoring wildlife in Brazil.
The five pups are currently the youngest bush dogs living in the UK. Twenty-five bush dog pups have been born across Europe so far this year, with a fifth of them born here at the zoo.
