Bush dogs bring a whiff of vinegar to Woburn!

Keepers at Woburn Safari Park have welcomed two bush dogs to the park for the first time in its history.
Bush Dogs Viv and VinnieBush Dogs Viv and Vinnie
Bush Dogs Viv and Vinnie

The adorable new arrivals are now based in Woburn’s latest state-of-the-art enclosure, the Cachorro Range in the Foot Safari, where visitors can spot them exploring their new home.

They can be found next door to another recent update at the park – new enclosure ‘Chelonia Pathways’ which is home of the Aldabra giant tortoises.

Born in 2015, the two young canines travelled from other wildlife collections (Chester Zoo and Le Pal in central France) and have been paired at Woburn Safari Park in the hope that they’ll settle down and have a new family of their own at the park.

Bush Dogs Viv and VinnieBush Dogs Viv and Vinnie
Bush Dogs Viv and Vinnie

The names given to bush dogs Viv (short for Genevieve) and Vinnie, and the name given to their new home ‘Cachorro Range’ are all in recognition of the nickname bush dogs are given in Central and South America; ‘Cachorro Vinagre’. This translates to ‘vinegar dog’, because the species in the wild has been known to give off a vinegar-like aroma.

Their arrival at the park was timed so they would arrive within 24 hours of each other, making sure neither Viv nor Vinnie had time to claim ‘ownership’ of their new home and they learned to share their territory straight away. Keepers are delighted to see that with this careful introduction they have bonded quickly and are now inseparable.

Sara Joy, Senior Keeper in Animal Encounters at Woburn Safari Park said: “We are delighted with the progress that Viv and Vinnie are making. The couple are settling in well and have been showing positive signs that they are happy in their new home, which is fantastic news as they are both still so young. They are still a little shy in their new surroundings, but explore everything together and Viv is definitely the braver of the two.”

The enclosure features indoor and outdoor viewing platforms for visitors, who’ll get a great view of the duo; two fully insulated houses where Vinnie and Viv benefit from underfloor heating for extra warmth, as well as separate areas for alone time should they so choose. The bush dogs have webbed feet and are semi-aquatic; so their specially designed enclosure caters for their love of water, with a pool and waterfall for swimming.

> For more information, visit www.woburnsafari.co.uk

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