Yesterday I visited the maned wolves again. They looked so cool and regal, stalking around in the dusk. Despite having lived at the zoo for years, they act like they've never managed to get used to people. I like the way they're so responsive to visitors' approach because it gives me the feeling that I'm in the presence of a real wild animal - an animal that will bolt if I make sudden movements, or relax and perhaps come closer if I freeze.
One of the most interesting things about them is the way they pace - moving both the legs on a side at a time. You can see the one in the bottom picture doing it. Giraffes do it too. They're the only two species I know of that pace. I wonder if okapis do. Is it something to do with being tall and long-legged? It looks like it would throw them off their balance though. Wish I was a field ecologist with a grant to study it.
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