Predator, prey, ?
Jan. 28th, 2007 04:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kickahaSaw this article about guide horses for the blind. Keen stuff. I can definitely see how it could have some advantages over the traditional guide dog (hoof scuffs on wood floors not withstanding.)
The following quote caught my eye though:
"Because they are herd animals, they can predict where a moving object is heading and help adjust, said Edie."
Okay, I can buy that, it makes sense. However... couldn't that also be said to be true of predators such as canines? If you can't run down that gazelle, you're not going to be eating tonight. This got me thinking further... if predators and herd animals have these common traits that make them good guide animals, what animals are left that wouldn't? Non-herd prey, such as, I dunno, rabbits? But then, don't they have to be extremely sensitive to motion in the environment at *all* times, without guard members of the herd on lookout? You'd think they'd be even better at quick reactions to unexpected motion.
Which of course means they'd suck as guide animals (eee! bus! RUN!), but it struck me that pretty much *any* animal is going to have the trait defined, won't it? Can you think of an animal that *can't* 'predict where a moving object is heading'?
The following quote caught my eye though:
"Because they are herd animals, they can predict where a moving object is heading and help adjust, said Edie."
Okay, I can buy that, it makes sense. However... couldn't that also be said to be true of predators such as canines? If you can't run down that gazelle, you're not going to be eating tonight. This got me thinking further... if predators and herd animals have these common traits that make them good guide animals, what animals are left that wouldn't? Non-herd prey, such as, I dunno, rabbits? But then, don't they have to be extremely sensitive to motion in the environment at *all* times, without guard members of the herd on lookout? You'd think they'd be even better at quick reactions to unexpected motion.
Which of course means they'd suck as guide animals (eee! bus! RUN!), but it struck me that pretty much *any* animal is going to have the trait defined, won't it? Can you think of an animal that *can't* 'predict where a moving object is heading'?