"A female digger wasp not only lays her egg in a caterpillar so that her larva can feed on it, but carefully guides her sting into each ganglion of the prey’s central nervous system, so as to paralyse it but not kill it. This way, the meat keeps fresh. It is possible the prey might be aware of being eaten alive from inside but unable to move a muscle to do anything about it."

(Richard Dawkins, River Out of Eden)

Is nature really so barbaric and callous? The digger wasp is but one example of the indifference of nature and evolution. But is it all so cruel? The natural world contains astonishing beauty and in this Blog I want to highlight some amazing evolutionary stories and share my awe and passion for one of the most important theories ever conceived by mankind.

Sunday, 12 October 2014

A Fox on Stilts?





The Chrysocyon brachyurus, also known as the Maned Wolf possesses very long black legs which enable them to see above the tall grass of their habitat in South America. This helps them hunt for food and avoid predators.


Due to the Maned wolf’s appearance and coloration it has been described as "a red fox on stilts" although it is quite larger than a red fox and belongs to a different genus to both foxes and wolves. At the shoulders, the Maned wolf stands to be about 3.3 feet and can weigh about 44-55 pounds.


Maned Wolves also have a mane, which runs from the back of the head to shoulders. This can be erected in order to intimidate other animals or if it feels threatened. This striking black mane is the reason the Chrysocyon brachyurus is commonly called the maned wolf.

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