To escape from predators have slowly and sadly
In order to escape from the clutches and jaws of lions and cheetahs, their victims should not escape from his pursuers, and move much slower. To such conclusion the group of scientists from the UK and Botswana studying African hunting predators for zebras and antelopes. The results are published in the journal Nature.
Usually paired predator-prey the predator is different and more powerful muscles, faster speed and better braking. However, there are pros and the victim, because she selects the speed of the movement and its trajectory, while the predator needs to adapt himself to choose the time to throw.
A group of scientists from the University of London and University of Botswana investigated the behavior of pairs of lion-Zebra and Cheetah-Impala antelope in their natural habitat in South African savanna. The researchers put five cheetahs, antelopes seven nine seven lions and zebras specially designed collars, through which data were collected on the speed and acceleration of the movement of animals. In total they managed to collect data about the five thousand chase.
A pair of Cheetah-Impala were generally more “athletic” than lion-Zebra. Comparison of “inside” each pair showed that predators 20% more muscular, they are 37% better speed and 72% of victims better brakes. Based on the collected data, the researchers modeled the dynamics of hunting and came to the conclusion that the chance of escape from the pursuer the victim only when it is moving slower. At low speeds, agile herbivore predators, and the latter can not realize its benefits fully. The second terminal of the zoologists were much more obvious: to hunt, the predator must be “athletic” than the victim.