Snapping at their flanks

[pizza]

I understand the general idea of the text below but I am completely puzzled by 'snapping at their flanks'. Any ideas?

From:
"In another, from Canterbury Museum, a group of determined polar bears, wildebeest, grizzly bears and bison seem to be charging down a red walled corridor, with a wolf and an oddly contorted hare snapping at their flanks – this commotion in spite their being in light crates or on differently coloured supporting bases."

[Rover_KE]

This refers to a photograph by Neil Pardington. I have so far been unsuccessful in finding an image of it.

Snapping at their flanks means 'trying to bite the sides of their bodies'.

I'll keep looking.

Rover

[emsr2d2]

I understand the general idea of the text below but I am completely puzzled by 'snapping at their flanks'. Any ideas?

From:
"In another, from Canterbury Museum, a group of determined polar bears, wildebeest, grizzly bears and bison seem to be charging down a red walled corridor, with a wolf and an oddly contorted hare snapping at their flanks – this commotion in spite their being in light crates or on differently coloured supporting bases."

"Snapping" is the fast opening and closing one's mouth. It's especially used to describe the motion of the jaws of an animal with very sharp teeth. If a dog is angry it might snap at you - it's an attempt to bite.

"Flanks" are the side and rear parts of an animal - its sides, back legs, haunches. If an animal is being chased it is its flanks which are in most danger as they are closest to the jaws of the animal which is chasing it.

So the animals in your post are running down a hallway with other animals close behind, trying to bite the rear parts of their bodies.

[Rover_KE]

Here it is.

Rather an odd description of the picture, I thought.

Rover

[pizza]

Thanks a lot, I understand now. Creepy photos.

[BobK]

"Snapping" is the fast opening and closing one's mouth. It's especially used to describe the motion of the jaws of an animal with very sharp teeth. If a dog is angry it might snap at you - it's an attempt to bite.

"Flanks" are the side and rear parts of an animal - its sides, back legs, haunches. If an animal is being chased it is its flanks which are in most danger as they are closest to the jaws of the animal which is chasing it.

So the animals in your post are running down a hallway with other animals close behind, trying to bite the rear parts of their bodies.

I haven't seen the picture, but I would guess that this accounts for their being 'oddly contorted'. They are running in one direction and trying to bite at right angles to that direction.

b