Section 1.1: The Endurance Advantage

Numerous studies indicate that humans, akin to Australopithecines, possess the ability to traverse extensive distances, similar to marathon runners. This adaptation has enabled them to pursue and capture prey using tools like spears. Essentially, humans have developed the ability to "stalk" animals through their long legs. Reports of endurance-based hunting techniques date back over 500 years, with nearly 400 documented instances of tracking and exhausting prey such as elk and antelope.

Over the past two million years, selective pressures appear to have favored hominins capable of long-distance travel. While humans may lack the explosive sprinting ability of felines, this endurance capability has allowed them to evade predators in the African savanna. This anatomical trait has paved the way for diverse hunting strategies.

Initially, individuals adept at long-distance running were favored for their ability to escape danger. Over time, as cultural hunting methods evolved, characteristics such as slow-twitch muscle fibers, sweat-producing skin, and exceptional foot flexibility became advantageous.

Despite the higher energy demands of running compared to walking, research analyzing over 8,000 historical accounts from missionaries and explorers shows that long-distance running has been a prevalent hunting technique, emphasizing the importance of physical endurance.

Photo by Alessio Soggetti on Unsplash

In contemporary times, approximately 391 documented cases of endurance hunting practices globally highlight the technique's effectiveness. For instance, about 81% of nearly 150 Native American tribes in Western North America favored persistent hunting, proving to be an efficient method that has evolved over time. In some scenarios, running to exhaust prey is more effective than stealthy stalking. While running requires more energy, its success can save both time and effort.

Consider the example of hunting gemsbok, a type of southern African antelope. It has been estimated that pursuing this prey at a steady pace would take around two hours and cover about 8 km. However, a hunter running at 10 km/h can tire the prey in under thirty minutes. The effectiveness of this method can vary based on the type of prey; faster animals necessitate a strategy that allows humans to maintain a steady pace while managing their energy through sweating.

Additionally, skilled trackers and domesticated hunting dogs can force prey to run faster, leading to exhaustion. Certain terrains, like rocky or sandy areas, can hinder prey during a chase, allowing hunters to catch up. In some cases, slow, sustained hunting can last for days, as seen with Sudanese hunters pursuing giraffes or Ojibwe hunters using snowshoes to track moose, which tire quickly in deep snow.

Peter Rindisbacher, Buffalo Hunt. Winter Scene of an Assiniboine Indian Hunting on Snowshoes, ca. 1830, watercolor on paper, 9 1/2 x 16 1/2 in. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, 2010.99. Photography by Dwight Primiano.

Section 1.2: Evolutionary Adaptations for Endurance

Research indicates that persistent hunting was not commonplace but part of a broader set of strategies employed based on environmental conditions. Humans could run swiftly or at a steady pace, employ traps, or hunt collectively, adapting their techniques as needed.

A study from 2004 highlights the physiological and biological advantages of humans compared to other animals. Humans are indeed endurance specialists over long distances. Although our slender bipedal form may seem less advantageous than that of large quadrupedal animals with rapid sprints, the emergence of the Homo genus brought about changes that enhanced our long-distance capabilities.

Human legs are elastic and resilient, equipped to endure physical exertion. A key feature is the Achilles tendon, which is either absent or significantly shorter in great apes. Recent findings suggest that Australopithecus afarensis may have had a well-developed tendon, permitting slow, sustained running, indicating that this ability could date back as far as 4 million years.

Australopithecus afarensis. Source: Adobe Stock

There is no need to establish any phylogenetic link, as the evidence is limited regarding other hominins. At the time of A. afarensis, the expansion of savannas likely favored individuals with these traits.

Returning to the Homo genus, the Achilles tendon has been critical for both hunting and the migration of humans across diverse regions. Anatomical studies indicate that the energy stored in this tendon can enhance running and walking speeds by over 80% while reducing energy expenditure during physical activities by about 75%.

The Achilles tendon is less developed in African primates, limiting their ability to run long distances. In contrast, humans possess strong legs, a flexible torso, and muscular glutes that help distribute physical stress during running, making us uniquely suited for endurance compared to animals that rely on speed for short bursts.

Photo by David Marcu on Unsplash

Another significant advantage is that humans lack functional body hair, contributing to efficient heat dissipation. Other species must cease activity after brief sprints due to overheating. While faster animals can run quickly for short distances, they must periodically stop to recover. For example, dogs can sprint at double the speed of humans for about 15 minutes but must then pause to cool down.

Climatic conditions also play a role in heat regulation; cold environments benefit animals that struggle with heat dissipation, while warm conditions favor humans.

Dogs run. PeterKaul (pixabay.com)

Interestingly, humans have been known to compete successfully against horses in endurance challenges, with records demonstrating victories in hot climates while horses performed better in colder ones. This highlights how Homo adapted to the savanna environment, where the extreme heat exhausts animals, forcing them to seek shade and making them vulnerable to human hunters.