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Predators and Prey: Two Toolkits Shaped by the Same Struggle
- Predators have adaptations to detect, catch and kill prey.
- Prey have adaptations to avoid being detected, caught or eaten.
- Each toolkit can be physical, chemical or behavioural.
Predator Adaptations: Finding, Catching and Killing Prey
- Acute senses and stealth
- Owls have sharp vision and hearing, and their feather structure gives near-silent flight so they can ambush prey undetected at night.
- Speed and body form
- Cheetahs have long limbs, a lightweight frame and semi-retractable claws that grip the ground, letting them sprint after fast prey such as gazelles.
- Chemical weapons
- Fire ants spray formic acid to subdue small prey and drive off threats.
- Cone snails fire a venomous harpoon that delivers neurotoxins, paralysing a fish almost instantly.
