Images of Prey and Predator - which do you prefer

[Bob]

We have a fascination with horns don't we?

And we attribute "power" to the horned animal (those things can be formidable and sharp)

The horned animal though is still a PREY to some PREDATOR..

Anyway, here's some interesting pictures of prey and predators.. to ponder on.


http://i1.wp.com/listverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Great-Horned-Owl-flat-best-.jpg?resize=598%2C400
Great Horned Owl


http://brothersofthebook.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Goat-horns.gif

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-reeXX5CGnZQ/UHgYaPogR8I/AAAAAAAACh0/u3HqicQQpG4/s1600/lion+striking+distance+animal+hunting+dangerous+prey+animal+picture.JPG

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M2NT54N2xRw/UMeZzrShuRI/AAAAAAAAChE/IN29doYUdjQ/s400/DSC_2232.jpg

http://www.whatsondalian.com/news_images/4e28f92be8b27_1.jpg

http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/f7c051ce16a9.jpg

[Robin]

Let us also not forget that what we connote as "prey" must also be labeled as "predators." Big-horned sheep are predators to plants. :)

[Bob]

A few more - the relationships are interesting, aren't they


http://www.personal.psu.edu/euw122/PHYS_527/HWK_2/pic.jpg

http://necsi.edu/projects/evolution/co-evolution/pred-prey/lion+zebra.jpg

Statistical curve - (more prey than predators)

http://www.efda.org/wpcms/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/TJII-Predator-prey.jpg

http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs11/i/2006/218/4/f/Tarzan_predator_or_prey_by_batfish73.jpg
(which is the predator and prey in this one)


http://www.westhillchurch.ca/youth/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/predatorprey.jpg


http://www.rainbowreporter.com/images/predator-switch1.jpg

[korgh]

Well... i never liked anything with horns.
I don't know why but horns do not transmit confidence or wisdom...or even power.
Power lies in decision. Decision to hunt and catch the prey. Wisdom to observe and learn. Making your move in the right time. To make plans.
Predator or Prey?
In my opinion, most of us are at the same time: predator and prey.
Sometimes, one side more evident than other one.
By the way i never saw a cow catching any prey or planning to hunt ... even a goat !

....and the plants cannot run away by their lives :)

Cheers

[Bob]

Closeup of the Prey's EYE and the Predator's


http://www.uh.edu/engines/catpreditor.jpg
Cat, domestic


http://www.kruger-2-kalahari.com/images/on-the-4th-day-of-christmas-the-kgalagadi-gave-to-me-a-lions-eye-21445675.jpg
Cat, wild (Lion)


http://th02.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2013/302/1/0/eye_of_the____panther_by_wolfling01-d6s46gi.jpg
Cat, wild (Panther)


http://cdn.wall88.com/51a19bce50e8b12087.jpg
Baboon (posed, stuffed)


http://jessamine.kyschools.us/userfiles/713/yun_1006-goat-eye.jpg
Goat - note the pupil, rectangular, not round


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Sheep_eye_close-up.jpg
Sheep


http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m19pubTVmE1qjm6tmo1_500.jpg
Cow

Horses, cattle, and sheep, are a predator's prey. The eyes are on either side of the head and can function in monocular (one eye) mode. The field of vision allows motion to be detected from basically 320 degrees (except for immediately behind the body).

Two eyes in a predator, front facing and very good depth perception (binocular stereo depth vision) allows for precise attack ability - about 180 degrees field of view..

A predatory owl has about 120 degree perception in their field of vision - binocular (two eyes creating depth perception). A raptor (bird of prey) can spot prey at great distances.


http://www.yurtopic.com/health/general/images/human-body-facts/baby-eyes.jpg

[DeDukshyn]

lol, I chuckled when I saw the "lord of the flies"-esque image. Nice. ;)

BTW I see extreme beauty in all of it -- all the animals, and all their unique qualities of expression.

[gnostic9]

lol, I chuckled when I saw the "lord of the flies"-esque image. Nice. ;)

BTW I see extreme beauty in all of it -- all the animals, and all their unique qualities of expression.

I agree, there is so much beauty in all of nature, horns included. Isn't the image just a part of the whole construct, which we divide into parts, labels, other constructs. Nature is beauty which we observe and deconstruct.

Just a thought.

Thank you DeDukshyn!

[Ellisa]

Very interesting post--- made me think about it. I especially enjoyed the photo of the sweet little pink , blue-eyed prime predator!

[Chip]

That was an interesting perspective. As as much animal Predator as I am. I feel more like an adventurous ghost inhabiting a form that has become something like a coat that just keeps me warm.

[Milneman]

http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/files/2012/12/Wile-E-Coyote_falling.jpg

http://chuckjonesgallery.typepad.com/.a/6a010536b5599f970c01157023856e970b-320wi

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a9/Gogogo.jpg

[Nanoo Nanoo]

Rectangular pupils ... now thats got my attention.

So they would enable wide angle vision and attenuate lumens across the whole pupil without restricting its perifary... yes ?

N

[Conchis]

Goat....downward eyelashes, because they spend so much time browsing in thickets, the eyelashes direct dirt, leaves, dust, etc away and wouldn't a rectangular pupil allow for you to see, even if your eyes were mostly closed?

[Nanoo Nanoo]

i can see when my eyes are mostly closed ( and sometimes fully )

i postulate the width across the eye ball would have a sort of fish eye lens effect , like a wide screen lens of say 190 deg per eye ball

N

PS

here we go

http://listverse.com/2010/12/12/10-animals-with-incredible-eyes/

goats have about 340 deg of vision all up... so the pupil helps here , interestingly the squid has similar pupil ...

[Bob]

Rectangular pupils ... now thats got my attention.

So they would enable wide angle vision and attenuate lumens across the whole pupil without restricting its perifary... yes ?

N


http://electron6.phys.utk.edu/optics421/modules/m5/images/pattern2.gif

when there is a change in signal intensity, bright | dark | bright | dark | bright light bands, the slightest movement at distance away from the prey's eye, causes the pattern on the retina in the eye to have a large movement of these bands of light..

The "slit" optics causes those diffraction "bands", the color of the light, the wavelength, moves the bands apart or closer slightly.. In theory, learning the width/spacing of the bands, one even with a black and white perception retina, one could sense "color".

I think though the point of the rectangular slit is to create good peripheral sensing, for motion.. The diffraction pattern's moving (corresponding to slight movement of some predator at a distance) in the eye and illuminating the retina with that band pattern, definitely gets one attention fast.

[Bob]

Goat....downward eyelashes, because they spend so much time browsing in thickets, the eyelashes direct dirt, leaves, dust, etc away and wouldn't a rectangular pupil allow for you to see, even if your eyes were mostly closed?

i would sure think so - with my comment to Nanoo Nanoo, I went over the optics.. tight slit, and a lot of potential to sense movement at a distance..

What I notice with the owl, first picture... the ability to create a "slit" effect with the upper feathers above the eye, looking thru the "created" diffraction around the feather edge temporary slit, would enable the owl to perceive slight motion at a distance very well.. precisely what it needs to know something is moving in it's gaze.. then the owl can open its eyes fully and gain precision attack mode 3D depth perception.. best of both worlds.. evolved predator, using the motion sensing ability of the prey's eyes (the slit) to gain an edge in predation..

[pumashared]

i got to admit. this has to be one of the coolest concepts to talk about

[donk]

i got to admit. this has to be one of the coolest concepts to talk about

Bob on the Titan thread you got me thinking about an even "cooler" (I'm not sure about this choice of word) concept:

Why control another?

It's the evolution of predation. This concept you brought up here is easy, it's the emotional detachment that's the hard part (ie not seeing either end of the relationship as "evil"). The "why" of this behavior is crystal clear...the predator takes the energy of the prey.

This makes me "know" (for now, to believe with all being for the moment--always negotiable though) that the "why" of the other issue is likely the same thing...the controller takes the energy of the other.

I don't believe it's "natural" for this to occur within a species, at least communal ones such as mammals tend to be. I believe anyone practicing inter-species predation is mimicking/emulating another species. That real humans cannot thrive from the energy extracted from controlling another, so it's either a selfdestructing human or not human at all.

Sorry if this off topic, just a little trigger there--are you manipulating me? ;)

[Bob]

Prey competing with Prey - (control of the other for ALPHA status)


http://www.tibettour.org/uploads/allimg/130301/8_130301111629_1_lit.jpg

http://whitleyaward.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/elena-saiga.jpg
Saiga Antelope


http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v422/n6928/images/422135a-f1.2.jpg
Saiga Antelope


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Saiga_Antelope_populations_Map.jpg
Siaga is found in this area


http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xnpUqZD55XM/S_ZbhWVoE4I/AAAAAAAAAQI/_ylO2e7-MKk/s1600/untitleds.bmp
Red Lechwe Antelope


http://www.tibettravel.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/26.jpg
Tibetan Antelope

[Bob]

i got to admit. this has to be one of the coolest concepts to talk about

Bob on the Titan thread you got me thinking about an even "cooler" (I'm not sure about this choice of word) concept:

Why control another?

It's the evolution of predation. This concept you brought up here is easy, it's the emotional detachment that's the hard part (ie not seeing either end of the relationship as "evil"). The "why" of this behavior is crystal clear...the predator takes the energy of the prey.

This makes me "know" (for now, to believe with all being for the moment--always negotiable though) that the "why" of the other issue is likely the same thing...the controller takes the energy of the other.

I don't believe it's "natural" for this to occur within a species, at least communal ones such as mammals tend to be. I believe anyone practicing inter-species predation is mimicking/emulating another species. That real humans cannot thrive from the energy extracted from controlling another, so it's either a selfdestructing human or not human at all.

Sorry if this off topic, just a little trigger there--are you manipulating me? ;)

Not off topic at all :)

love how the dots connect

[Carmen]

Nature has designed the predator/prey balance perfectly. Animals herd together for safety from predators. They keep together, sometimes many different species together. They also keep moving when any area is eaten out. This means that plant species have a chance to fully regenerate before the next grazing time. With the removal of native villages from national parks for instance and the killing off of predators the African savannah started to deteoriate. Plants allowed to grow to maturity with deep root systems hold water and it gradually runs into streams and rivers. With prey animals spreading out and constantly grazing the land instead of herding to the same extent, the land became denuded and any rain that fell quickly ran off .

Allan Savory has made it his life's work to understand and address this terrible desertification which is devastating large tracts of land all over the planet.

Sorry to go off on a bit of a tangent here but I'm very passionate about this subject. I had not understood just how important the predator/prey relationship was before I studied holistic management and the natural harmony of it all.

[Bob]

Beautiful observation Carmen - thank you :)

if I may, http://www.savoryinstitute.com/media/40606/Savory_Inst_HM_Research_Portfolio_March2013.pdf Savory Institute report on Predator Prey relationships and the Environment

"The Savory Institute empowers people to properly manage livestock by teaching them how to use Holistic Management, connecting them in ways that have benefits for everyone, and removing barriers along the path to success."

Savory talks about how he came to understand the importance of proper grazing and relationships between the land and the animals grazing on top of it.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/03/30/grazing-livestock.aspx


vpTHi7O66pI


http://www.savoryinstitute.com/media/40606/Savory_Inst_HM_Research_Portfolio_March2013.pdf

[Carmen]

Thanks Bobd, I am not good and getting images up or posting pictures. The before and after pictures of land regenerated through holistic management is astounding isn't it? It gives me hope for the world and hope for the future of farming. I know of one South African farmer who has now on his farm eight different species of big game where they haven't been for decades. And this is from a fast increase of cattle numbers. Alongside his four thousand head of cattle the wild species happily co exist as there is now water and feed for all.