Marwell Zoo's latest arrivals that smell like vinegar

Emilia, Isabella, Sofia, and Tiny Tim are a family of six-year-old bush dogs that have arrived from Yorkshire, giving visitors a rare opportunity to observe the shy and increasingly rare creatures.

In the wild, bush dogs are hard to spot, partly because their short legs and stocky bodies make it easy for them to hide.

The closest living relative of the squat canines is thought to be the maned wolf of central South America or the African wild dog.

People visiting the 140-acre zoo can find them at the far end of the site, behind the caracara habitat. Their new home boasts plenty of planted areas to explore, plus a pond.

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Carrie Arnold, carnivores team leader, said: "We are all very excited that the bush dogs have arrived.

"The team have worked exceptionally hard on creating a natural and immersive habitat. It will be good to see the bush dogs exploring it and to see the guests enjoying these amazing animals."

Bush dogs come from central and South America and are usually found in rainforests, densely vegetated lowland, and seasonally flooded woodland.

Marwell Zoo, at Colden Common, near Winchester, is home to a wide variety of creatures (Image: Roy Maddocks)

Staying close to the ground they hunt mainly for rodents but are able to bring down prey much larger than themselves, including rheas and capybaras, when hunting in a pack.

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The number of bush dogs is thought to be decreasing, largely as a result of their habitat being used for farming or housing.

They are also at risk of contracting diseases from domestic dogs as the number of human settlements continues to increase.

Bush dogs have partially webbed feet, making them excellent swimmers.

Every pack has an alpha male and female. Only the alpha female has pups, but other members of the pack help care for and carry the youngsters once they are born.

Marwell Zoo, at Colden Common, near Winchester, is home to a wide variety of creatures (Image: Connor Bryne)

Bush dogs mainly eat small mammals such as armadillos and rodents.

They are social animals, hunting as a pack during the day and returning to their den at night to avoid predators such as jaguars.

The creatures are sometimes referred to as "vinegar dogs", either because of their vinegar-like smell or reddish fur.

Marwell Zoo at Colden Common, near Winchester, is home to a wide variety of creatures (Image: Marwell Zoo)

Pups are born with black fur, which turns red when they become adults.

Marwell Zoo is home to hundreds of animals including giraffes, tigers, and rhinos. Another recent arrival is Tashi the red panda.