Unpredictable prey proves problematic for predators In the battle between predator and prey, the vi

Unpredictable prey proves problematic for predators

In the battle between predator and prey, the victor can be decided by the smallest of margins. For some animals this has led to an evolutionary arms-race where speed is the main objective. New research carried out by Professor Alan Wilson of the Royal Veterinary College has changed our understanding of athleticism in animals. His new discoveries suggest slower speeds and last-second turns actually give prey animals better chances of survival, whereas predators must evolve to be more athletic to follow the unpredictable prey.

Professor Wilson’s analysed movements of wild, free-ranging cheetahs and lions and their most common prey, impalas and zebras, in the Savannah of Northern Botswana. The team collected movement data from five cheetahs, nine lions, seven zebras and seven impalas. They also took tiny muscle samples back to their UK laboratory to test how powerful the animals’ muscle fibers were.

State of the art technology, including high-tech location-tracking and movement-sensing collars, as well as Professor Wilson’s self-built research aircraft equipped with sophisticated tracking, filming and terrain-mapping technology.

Results showed although cheetahs and impalas were the more athletic predator-prey pair, compared to lions and zebras, both predators were similarly more athletic than their prey. Their muscles were found to be 20% more powerful, they were 38% faster, 37% better at accelerating and 72% better at decelerating.

More details : Royal Veterinary College: LOCATE.