Ghost dog of the Amazon: 25-year camera-trap study reveals secrets of

A 25-year camera-trap study in Bolivia sheds light on the elusive short-eared dog (Atelocynus microtis), a carnivore so rarely detected that researchers had limited data on its natural history. Across 34 camera-trap surveys over nearly a quarter century, the species appeared in only 21 surveys—about 62% of sampling efforts—with capture rates varying widely from 0.18 to 2.4 independent events per 100 camera-trap nights. The study used jaguar-oriented camera grids spaced 1.6 to 2 kilometers, which can under-detect smaller, forest-interior animals, so density estimates require caveats. By scaling relative capture frequency against known ocelot densities, the authors estimate about 15 individuals per 100 square kilometers. Repeated sampling at multiple sites also shows its relative abundance changes over time.