When you think of wild dogs, chances are you don’t think of a species able to climb trees like a primate or one that eats a lot of fruit – or even one that looks like a bear – but, just like any other family, the canine family has its weird members too.
Weirdest dogs in the world
Maned wolf
The maned wolf isn’t so much a walking contradiction as a portmanteau creature assembled from parts of other animals. For a start, it isn’t a wolf – and it doesn’t behave like one. It eats a lot of fruit for a start.
In addition to its supermodel legs (and endearing long black socks), this canid’s most striking characteristics are its huge ears, mane of charcoal fur and bushy white tail. It’s often described as a fox on stilts, but that doesn’t do it justice.
African wild dogs
The largest canid in Africa, African wild dogs are neither wolves nor dogs, despite their name. Like wolves and dogs, African wild dogs do belong to the Canidae family. However, grey wolves, coyotes, dogs and jackals are all in the Canis genus, whereas African wild dogs are the only extant (living) species in the Lycaeongenus genus.
With its streamlined body and sturdy long legs, during chases the wild dogs can reach top speeds of 60-72.5km/h and are specially adapted to dealing with heat stress with their trademark large circular ears. Unlike other dogs, wild dogs have four toes instead of five.
Grey fox
The grey fox moves like a cat, climbs like a primate and spends much of its time high up in trees. Its anatomy is notable for features seemingly borrowed from across various mammalian orders. Like primates, it has rotating wrists that enable it to grip the sides of trees to climb branchless trunks. Its long, curved claws and large, spreadable paws resemble those of cats – again, useful for gaining traction on essentially vertical surfaces.
Fennec fox
With oversized ears, big dark eyes, and a petite frame built for desert life, the fennec fox (the smallest wild dog in the world) is one of nature’s most adorable and fascinating creatures.
One of its weirdest features is its oversized ears. They have large ears (the largest ears relative to body size of any member of the family Canidae), which can grow up to 15cm in length. They help keep the little mammals cool by radiating body heat, enabling them to cope with living in the desert. Their ears also allow them to listen to and track prey underneath the sand.
Bush dog
This species looks more like a small bear than a dog. Native to the Amazon Basin and other parts of South America and Panama in Central America, bush dogs are small, unusual canids weighing little more than 4-7kg – about the size of a red fox – and which more closely resemble mini bears than other dogs.
They live in packs of up to 12 individuals and hunt cooperatively, frequently driving their prey – which can include rodents such as pacas – towards water or other pack members. By hunting in groups, they can also – despite standing no higher than a basset hound – take down much larger species such as armadillos, capybara and even the ostrich-like rheas.
