ROYAL OAK (WWJ) – The dog days of summer just got better at the Detroit Zoo with the addition of two bush dogs.

Native to South America, the bush dog is known for its low-to-the-ground build, with a shoulder height of only 12 inches, and can weigh up to 15 pounds. The wild canid sports long, reddish-brown fur and has webbed feet that make it an ideal swimmer in tropical rivers and wetlands.

With fewer than 15,000 bush dogs in the wild, the species is listed as “near threatened” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list of threatened species due to habitat destruction and development by humans.

The arrival of 1-year-old sisters Miranda and Dolly marks the first time in nearly 45 years the zoo has had bush dogs. Only five other zoos in the United States care for the species.

“With fewer than 30 bush dogs in U.S. zoos, Detroit Zoo visitors have a unique opportunity see these rare – and very cute – wild dogs of the rainforest,” Chief Life Sciences Officer Scott Carter said in a written statement.

Miranda and Dolly can be seen in the small animals area adjacent to the barnyard.

The Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of 10 Mile Road and Woodward, just off I-696 in Royal Oak, and is open daily 9 am to 5 pm. Admission is $12 for adults 15 to 61, $10 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $8 for children 2 to 14 (children under 2 are free). For more information, call 248-541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo.org.