Meet Miranda and Chester: bush dogs at Detroit Zoo

(WJBK) - Chester and Miranda are bush dogs that you can see at the Detroit Zoo. They can typically be seen either running around their habitat or snuggling in a shady spot.

In the wild, these animals can be found in Central America and northern South America.

They are carnivores that eat large rodents, ground-nesting birds, snakes and lizards.

These sneaky little guys are hardly ever seen by locals in their native homes because they spend a lot of time in their underground burrows; though here at the Detroit Zoo they remain active above ground.

Visitors often ask why the bush dogs run along the same path in their habitat - in the wild, they live in dense brush and usually map out trails by scent marking.

Bush dogs are team players: They dig for prey in pairs, with one bush dog leading the way and the other clearing dirt from the new path for other bush dogs.

These cute little guys have webbed feet that make them ideal swimmers in tropical rivers and wetlands.

For more information about the zoo, visit www.detroitzoo.org.