[1][2] In spite of its extensive range, it is very rare in most areas except in Suriname, Guyana and Peru;[2][4] it was first described by Peter Wilhelm Lund from fossils in Brazilian caves and was believed to be extinct.

They primarily inhabit lowland forests up to 1,900 metres (6,200 ft) elevation,[4] wet savannas and other habitats near rivers, but may also be found in drier cerrado and open pasture.

Packs consist of a single mated pair and their immediate relations, and have a home range of 3.8 to 10 square kilometres (1.5 to 3.9 sq mi).

[21] While eating large prey, parents position themselves at either ends of the animal, making it easier for the pups to disembowel it.

Due to their rarity, when bush dog bones were discovered in a cave in 1839, paleontologist Peter Wilhelm Lund mistakenly believed they were extinct.

However, conservation is challenging due to their dense habitats and sparse, scattered populations, making them difficult to locate.

Bush dogs require large, undisturbed territories to support their pack-based lifestyle, and they are notably shy.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists bush dogs as Near Threatened due to a population decline of approximately 20-25% over the past 12 years.

Habitat loss, especially through Amazonian clear-cutting, is the most significant threat, while disease transmission from unvaccinated domestic dogs has also become a growing concern due to human encroachment.

Hunting bush dogs is illegal in most of their range, including countries like Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Bolivia, Panama, and Argentina.

In a positive development, bush dogs were recently captured on camera traps in Costa Rica's Talamanca Mountains in 2020, suggesting they may be expanding their range northward and into higher elevations.