Understanding Genetics And The Movement Of Mammals: Examining The Sauteur d'Alfort

Although you might think of the ability to hop as one of rabbits’ defining characteristics, some rabbits don’t hop at all. The sauteur d’Alfort is a rare breed of domestic rabbit that sometimes walks on its front paws with its hind legs in the air. Its inability to hop and aptitude for handstands has fascinated scientists for years. Recently, researchers Miguel Carneiro of the University of Porto in Portugal, Leif Andersson of Uppsala University in Sweden, and their colleagues bred a sauteur d’Alfort with a standard rabbit that can hop. Their findings have furthered scientists’ understanding of genetics and the movement of mammals.