For the first time in a point so far north, monitoring cameras confirmed the presence of a bush dog, a species originally from South America. The species is known as “perro vinagre” because the odor from its urine is similar to that of vinegar.
The cameras are in the Friendship International Park in Talamanca. Scientists from the National University and Point Loma Nazarene University have been monitoring the biodiversity of the park.
The cameras captured the animal on two occasions between April 2017 and May 2018 in the sector of Chinchilla. It had been spotted in 2016 closer to the border with Panama. The indigenous people of the area have not seen it but say that their ancestors did.
It is a very elusive animal, staying away from humans. Little is known about the small mammal with short legs. We know that it is carnivorous and that it attacks in herd and kills bigger animals including tapirs.