Small-eared zorro (Atelocynus microtis)  Also known as: Short-
eared dog, short-eared fox, small-eared dog French: Renard à
petites oreilles Spanish: Perro de Monte, Perro de Orejas
Cortas, Zorro Negro, Zorro Ojizarco GenusAtelocynus (1)
SizeHead-body length: 72 - 100 cm (2) Shoulder height: 35 cm (2)
Tail length: 24 - 35 cm (2) Weight9 - 10 kg (2)  The small-eared
zorro is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List
(1).  A little known and notoriously elusive wild dog from South
America (3), the enigmatic small-eared zorro (Atelocynus
microtis) owes its common name to its fox-like appearance (zorro
is Spanish for fox), as it has a long, slender muzzle, a dark,
bushy tail and short, rounded ears (4) (5). The fur of the
small-eared zorro is short and dense – either an adaptation to a
habitat in which rain is frequent or to a partially aquatic
lifestyle (4) – and is typically dark brown in colour, with
scattered white hairs on the upperparts creating a grizzled
appearance (6). Some individuals may h