Pursuit predation

Cheetah chase

Three dolphins

Asian Giant Hornet (Vespa mandarinia) (6027759338)

Matabele Ants (Pachycondyla sp.) carrying dead termites (13848808434)

Cheetah chasing Thompsons gazelle (cropped)

Gomphus vulgatissimus with a prey 002

Pursuit predation is a method of predation where predators actively chase or stalk their prey until they catch it. This form of predation is distinguished from other strategies such as ambush predation, where predators lie in wait for their prey, or grazing, where predators consume whatever food they come across. Pursuit predators typically have adaptations that aid in chasing, including speed, endurance, and sometimes tools for capturing or killing prey.

Characteristics

Pursuit predation involves several key characteristics that differentiate it from other predatory strategies. These include:

• Speed and Endurance: Many pursuit predators, such as the cheetah, have evolved to have exceptional speed, allowing them to outrun their prey over short distances. Others, like wolves, may not be the fastest animals but have great endurance to run down prey over longer distances.
• Sensory Adaptations: Effective pursuit predators often have advanced sensory organs to detect their prey from afar. For example, birds of prey have keen eyesight to spot potential meals from the air.
• Physical Adaptations: Besides speed, physical adaptations can include powerful legs, specialized teeth or claws for capturing and killing prey, and body shapes optimized for fast, agile movement.
• Social Hunting: Some species, such as lions and wolves, hunt in packs to increase their success rate. This allows them to take down larger or more elusive prey than they could alone.

Examples of Pursuit Predators

• The Cheetah is often cited as the quintessential pursuit predator, capable of reaching speeds up to 75 mph (120 km/h) in short bursts covering distances up to 1,500 ft (460 m), and has the ability to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in just a few seconds.
• Wolves are known for their endurance hunting techniques, where they chase prey over long distances, often several miles, to exhaust it.
• Falcons and other birds of prey use their speed and powerful talons in a high-speed dive to strike and capture their prey.

Adaptations in Prey

Prey animals have developed various adaptations to evade pursuit predators. These can include camouflage, heightened senses, speed, and behaviors such as herding, which can confuse or deter predators. For example, antelopes are incredibly fast and agile, allowing them to make sharp turns to evade predators like cheetahs.

Impact on Ecosystems

Pursuit predation plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems. It helps control prey populations and can select for individuals with traits that enable them to better evade predators, thus driving evolutionary changes in prey species. Predators can also influence the distribution of species in an ecosystem, as prey may avoid areas where predators frequently hunt.

See Also

• Predation
• Ambush predation
• Social hunting
• Adaptation
• Ecosystem