Lycaon pictus photo © Cliff
No sitting for this hunting dog
It is surprising that – unlike the Asian hunting dog, the wolf, and the domestic dog – the African hunting dog ostensibly does not sit. One explanation for this is that competition and mutual antagonism with the spotted hyena over evolutionary time has resulted in extreme specialisations for endurance running which include hind legs that cannot fully fold.
Robin and the Honey Badger, 22 March 2016
Lycaon pictus photo © Philip Gabrielsenss
Photographs:
Juvenile Lycaon pictus sitting
Lycaon pictus in adapted sitting position
Lycaon pictus in adapted sitting position