The dogs of Moscow

There are more than 30,000 stray dogs in Moscow that have caught the attention of biologist and wolf specialist Andrei Poyarkov.

His work, which dates back to 1979, suggests that the strays have adapted backward, from domestication to a more wolf-like state.

From a story in Monday's Financial Times written by Susanne Sternthal:

You see them everywhere. They lie around in the courtyards of apartment complexes, wander near markets and kiosks, and sleep inside metro stations and pedestrian passageways. You can hear them barking and howling at night. And the strays on Moscow's streets do not look anything like the purebreds preferred by status-conscious Muscovites. They look like a breed apart.

....

They also acted differently. Every so often, you would see one waiting on a metro platform. When the train pulled up, the dog would step in, scramble up to lie on a seat or sit on the floor .... then exit a few stops later.

Read the article for some interesting background -- you can also find out more at www.metrodog.ru.

HT: ohmidog!