Canis simensis photo © Laika ac
The Ethiopian wolf’s white gloves
Of the five wild species of Canis in and around Ethiopia, only the Ethiopian wolf has an immaculately pale surface on the fore foot. The conspicuousness of this unique feature – which resembles a white glove – may help group members to keep visual contact as they forage silently by day. The white gloves of the Ethiopian wolf work well in the montane meadows of Ethiopia because the vegetation is grazed so short that its legs are fully revealed. Such signalling would not work well for other species of Canis which inhabit taller vegetation types.
Robin and the Honey Badger, 20 August 2016
Photographs:
Canis simensis
Canis anthus
Canis adustus
Canis mesomelas
Canis lupus arabs
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