Predators Prefer Small Brained Prey

[Rich Travs]

http://www.liv.ac.uk/newsroom/press_releases/2006/08/predator-
_study.htm

or

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060802095823.htm

Predators such as leopards and chimpanzees consistently
target smaller-brained prey less capable of escape; research
at the University of Liverpool has shown.

They avoid more intelligent prey such as monkeys which
have exceptionally large brains and are more capable of
escaping attacks.

The study, carried out by Dr Susanne Shultz, from the School
of Biological Sciences, focused on predators from Africa and
South America such as the jaguar, chimpanzee, leopard and
puma. Dr Shultz found that prey with a small brain such as
small antelope, mongooses and the red river hog were more
susceptible to attacks by predators compared with
larger-brained prey. The report showed a strong correlation
between the brain size of the prey and the predatory bias
towards it.

Animals with small brains lack behavioural flexibility and
are probably less capable of developing new strategies to
escape predators, compared with larger-brained species.

Dr Shultz said: “When these findings are put into
perspective, it makes sense that being clever should help
individuals avoid or escape danger – the larger-brained
chimpanzees rarely feature in the diets of predators.”

“Some animals’ ability to avoid being eaten by predators may
be a contributing factor to the evolution of large brains
across some species, adding to conventional theories which
argue this is important for developing social relationships
and using tools.” ...

VERY interesting!

[Spiznet]

If this why you are always trumping Marc Verheiden's posts?

Rich Travsky wrote:
> http://www.liv.ac.uk/newsroom/press_releases/2006/08/predat-
> or_study.htm
>
> or
>
> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060802095-
> 823.htm
>
> Predators such as leopards and chimpanzees consistently
> target smaller-brained prey less capable of escape;
> research at the University of Liverpool has shown.
>
> They avoid more intelligent prey such as monkeys which have
> exceptionally large brains and are more capable of escaping
> attacks.
>
> The study, carried out by Dr Susanne Shultz, from the
> School of Biological Sciences, focused on predators from
> Africa and South America such as the jaguar, chimpanzee,
> leopard and puma. Dr Shultz found that prey with a small
> brain such as small antelope, mongooses and the red river
> hog were more susceptible to attacks by predators compared
> with larger-brained prey. The report showed a strong
> correlation between the brain size of the prey and the
> predatory bias towards it.
>
> Animals with small brains lack behavioural flexibility and
> are probably less capable of developing new strategies to
> escape predators, compared with larger-brained species.
>
> Dr Shultz said: "When these findings are put into
> perspective, it makes sense that being clever should help
> individuals avoid or escape danger - the larger-brained
> chimpanzees rarely feature in the diets of predators."
>
> "Some animals' ability to avoid being eaten by predators
> may be a contributing factor to the evolution of large
> brains across some species, adding to conventional theories
> which argue this is important for developing social
> relationships and using tools." ...
>
> VERY interesting!

[richardpar]

Rich Travsky wrote:
> http://www.liv.ac.uk/newsroom/press_releases/2006/08/predat-
> or_study.htm
>
> or
>
> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060802095-
> 823.htm
>
> Predators such as leopards and chimpanzees consistently
> target smaller-brained prey less capable of escape;
> research at the University of Liverpool has shown.
>
> They avoid more intelligent prey such as monkeys which have
> exceptionally large brains and are more capable of escaping
> attacks.
>
> The study, carried out by Dr Susanne Shultz, from the
> School of Biological Sciences, focused on predators from
> Africa and South America such as the jaguar, chimpanzee,
> leopard and puma. Dr Shultz found that prey with a small
> brain such as small antelope, mongooses and the red river
> hog were more susceptible to attacks by predators compared
> with larger-brained prey. The report showed a strong
> correlation between the brain size of the prey and the
> predatory bias towards it.
>
> Animals with small brains lack behavioural flexibility and
> are probably less capable of developing new strategies to
> escape predators, compared with larger-brained species.
>
> Dr Shultz said: "When these findings are put into
> perspective, it makes sense that being clever should help
> individuals avoid or escape danger - the larger-brained
> chimpanzees rarely feature in the diets of predators."
>
> "Some animals' ability to avoid being eaten by predators
> may be a contributing factor to the evolution of large
> brains across some species, adding to conventional theories
> which argue this is important for developing social
> relationships and using tools." ...
>
> VERY interesting!

Well, of course.

E(brain mass) = 0.12P(body mass) (to the power of 0.67)

must be a fairly normal subconscious instant calculation for
any intelligent lion who's been through a palaeoanthropology
course and memorised Jerison's encephalisation formula.

On the other hand, it might just be a paper written by someone
who's been through a palaeoanthropology course and memorised
Jerison's formula, who's desperate to get something, ANYTHING
! published, to get him out of Liverpool into a soft, cozy
campus tenure in the Mid- West.

regards

Richard

[Jim McGinn]

Rich Travsky wrote:

> Animals with small brains lack behavioural flexibility and
> are probably less capable of developing new strategies to
> escape predators, compared with larger-brained species.
>
> Dr Shultz said: "When these findings are put into
> perspective, it makes sense that being clever should help
> individuals avoid or escape danger - the larger-brained
> chimpanzees rarely feature in the diets of predators."
>
> "Some animals' ability to avoid being eaten by predators
> may be a contributing factor to the evolution of large
> brains across some species, adding to conventional theories
> which argue this is important for developing social
> relationships and using tools."

I think this analysis is overly simplistic. One of the
benefits of smaller brains is the ability to make split second
decisions faster than larger brains. Consequently species that
are preyed upon often might tend to evolve smaller brains as a
survival strategy.

[Marc Verha]

<richardparker01@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1154784520.526702.229070@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> Rich Travsky wrote:
> > http://www.liv.ac.uk/newsroom/press_releases/2006/08/pred-
> > ator_study.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/-
> > 08/060802095823.htm Predators such as leopards and
> > chimpanzees consistently target smaller-brained prey less
> > capable of escape; research at the University of Liverpool
> > has shown. They avoid more intelligent prey such as
> > monkeys which have exceptionally large brains and are more
> > capable of escaping attacks. The study, carried out by Dr
> > Susanne Shultz, from the School of Biological Sciences,
> > focused on predators from Africa and South America such as
> > the jaguar, chimpanzee, leopard and puma. Dr Shultz found
> > that prey with a small brain such as small antelope,
> > mongooses and the red river hog were more susceptible to
> > attacks by predators compared with larger-brained prey.
> > The report showed a strong correlation between the brain
> > size of the prey and the predatory bias towards it.
> > Animals with small brains lack behavioural flexibility and
> > are probably less capable of developing new strategies to
> > escape predators, compared with larger-brained species. Dr
> > Shultz said: "When these findings are put into
> > perspective, it
makes
> > sense that being clever should help individuals avoid or
> > escape
danger -
> > the larger-brained chimpanzees rarely feature in the
> > diets of
predators."
> > "Some animals' ability to avoid being eaten by predators
> > may be a contributing factor to the evolution of large
> > brains across some
species,
> > adding to conventional theories which argue this is
> > important for developing social relationships and using
> > tools." ... VERY interesting!

> Well, of course. E(brain mass) = 0.12P(body mass) (to the
> power of 0.67) must be a fairly normal subconscious instant
> calculation for any intelligent lion who's been through a
> palaeoanthropology course and memorised Jerison's
> encephalisation formula. On the other hand, it might just be
> a paper written by someone who's been through a
> palaeoanthropology course and memorised Jerison's formula,
> who's desperate to get something, ANYTHING ! published, to
> get him out of Liverpool into a soft, cozy campus tenure in
> the Mid- West. regards Richard

:-D
VERY interesting. Why doesn't Travsky ask himself why there
are still smaller-brained animals?

--Marc

[Rich Travs]

Jim McGinn wrote:
>
> Rich Travsky wrote:
>
> > Animals with small brains lack behavioural flexibility
> > and are probably less capable of developing new
> > strategies to escape predators, compared with
> > larger-brained species.
> >
> > Dr Shultz said: "When these findings are put into
> > perspective, it makes sense that being clever should help
> > individuals avoid or escape danger - the larger-brained
> > chimpanzees rarely feature in the diets of predators."
> >
> > "Some animals' ability to avoid being eaten by predators
> > may be a contributing factor to the evolution of large
> > brains across some species, adding to conventional
> > theories which argue this is important for developing
> > social relationships and using tools."
>
> I think this analysis is overly simplistic. One of the
> benefits of smaller brains is the ability to make split
> second decisions faster than larger brains. Consequently
> species that are preyed upon often might tend to evolve
> smaller brains as a survival strategy.

Say what?

Can you back that up?

[Rich Travs]

Marc Verhaegen wrote:
>
> <richardparker01@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:115478452-
> 0.526702.229070@i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> > Rich Travsky wrote:
> > > http://www.liv.ac.uk/newsroom/press_releases/2006/08/pr-
> > > edator_study.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2-
> > > 006/08/060802095823.htm Predators such as leopards and
> > > chimpanzees consistently target smaller-brained prey
> > > less capable of escape; research at the University of
> > > Liverpool has shown. They avoid more intelligent prey
> > > such as monkeys which have exceptionally large brains
> > > and are more capable of escaping attacks. The study,
> > > carried out by Dr Susanne Shultz, from the School of
> > > Biological Sciences, focused on predators from Africa
> > > and South America such as the jaguar, chimpanzee,
> > > leopard and puma. Dr Shultz found that prey with a small
> > > brain such as small antelope, mongooses and the red
> > > river hog were more susceptible to attacks by predators
> > > compared with larger-brained prey. The report showed a
> > > strong correlation between the brain size of the prey
> > > and the predatory bias towards it. Animals with small
> > > brains lack behavioural flexibility and are probably
> > > less capable of developing new strategies to escape
> > > predators, compared with larger-brained species. Dr
> > > Shultz said: "When these findings are put into
> > > perspective, it
> makes
> > > sense that being clever should help individuals avoid
> > > or escape
> danger -
> > > the larger-brained chimpanzees rarely feature in the
> > > diets of
> predators."
> > > "Some animals' ability to avoid being eaten by
> > > predators may be a contributing factor to the evolution
> > > of large brains across some
> species,
> > > adding to conventional theories which argue this is
> > > important for developing social relationships and using
> > > tools." ... VERY interesting!
>
> > Well, of course. E(brain mass) = 0.12P(body mass) (to the
> > power of 0.67) must be a fairly normal subconscious
> > instant calculation for any intelligent lion who's been
> > through a palaeoanthropology course and memorised
> > Jerison's encephalisation formula. On the other hand, it
> > might just be a paper written by someone who's been
> > through a palaeoanthropology course and memorised
> > Jerison's formula, who's desperate to get something,
> > ANYTHING ! published, to get him out of Liverpool into a
> > soft, cozy campus tenure in the Mid- West. regards Richard
>
> :-D
> VERY interesting. Why doesn't Travsky ask himself why there
> are still smaller-brained animals?

Good observation since YOU'RE still here ;)

[Rich Travs]

richardparker01@yahoo.com wrote:
>
> Rich Travsky wrote:
> > http://www.liv.ac.uk/newsroom/press_releases/2006/08/pred-
> > ator_study.htm
> >
> > or
> >
> > http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/06080209582-
> > 3.htm
> >
> > Predators such as leopards and chimpanzees consistently
> > target smaller-brained prey less capable of escape;
> > research at the University of Liverpool has shown.
> >
> > They avoid more intelligent prey such as monkeys which
> > have exceptionally large brains and are more capable of
> > escaping attacks.
> >
> > The study, carried out by Dr Susanne Shultz, from the
> > School of Biological Sciences, focused on predators from
> > Africa and South America such as the jaguar, chimpanzee,
> > leopard and puma. Dr Shultz found that prey with a small
> > brain such as small antelope, mongooses and the red river
> > hog were more susceptible to attacks by predators
> > compared with larger-brained prey. The report showed a
> > strong correlation between the brain size of the prey and
> > the predatory bias towards it.
> >
> > Animals with small brains lack behavioural flexibility
> > and are probably less capable of developing new
> > strategies to escape predators, compared with
> > larger-brained species.
> >
> > Dr Shultz said: "When these findings are put into
> > perspective, it makes sense that being clever should help
> > individuals avoid or escape danger - the larger-brained
> > chimpanzees rarely feature in the diets of predators."
> >
> > "Some animals' ability to avoid being eaten by predators
> > may be a contributing factor to the evolution of large
> > brains across some species, adding to conventional
> > theories which argue this is important for developing
> > social relationships and using tools." ...
> >
> > VERY interesting!
>
> Well, of course.
>
> E(brain mass) = 0.12P(body mass) (to the power of 0.67)
>
> must be a fairly normal subconscious instant calculation for
> any intelligent lion who's been through a palaeoanthropology
> course and memorised Jerison's encephalisation formula.
>
> On the other hand, it might just be a paper written by
> someone who's been through a palaeoanthropology course and
> memorised Jerison's formula, who's desperate to get
> something, ANYTHING ! published, to get him out of Liverpool
> into a soft, cozy campus tenure in the Mid- West.

On the other hand, the equation itself says nothing about the
behavior that the paper was actually about...

And here's why it's interesting from Kortlandt's 1980 paper
"How Might Early Hominids have Defended Themselves Against
Large Predators and Food Competitors" JHE (1980) 9, 79-112.

The defense strategy used by chimpanzees appear to be
reasonably effective. In areas where leopards, lions and
hyaenas abound these apes often walk for miles through open
terrain, usually creating a noisy turmoil, sometimes walking
alone, but apparently without ever being molested. No direct
nor indirect evidence of carnivore predation has ever been
found during the long term Gombe, Mahali and Kasakati
research projects.

[Paul Crowl]

"Rich Travsky" <traRvEsky@hotmMOVEail.com> wrote in message
news:44E0D3D0.96C648FE@hotmMOVEail.com...

> richardparker01@yahoo.com wrote:

>> > http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/0608020958-
>> > 23.htm
>> >
>> > Predators such as leopards and chimpanzees consistently
>> > target smaller-brained prey less capable of escape;
>> > research at the University of Liverpool has shown.

It is much more likely that large brains are correlated with
slow growth, and single births, meaning that such species
_necessarily_ exploit niches relatively free from predation --
such as those in trees. Those animals in niches where
predation is high, must breed fast, and grow quickly. They
will (other things being equal) have smaller brains.

>> > They avoid more intelligent prey such as monkeys which
>> > have exceptionally large brains and are more capable of
>> > escaping attacks.

>> On the other hand, it might just be a paper written by
>> someone who's been through a palaeoanthropology course and
>> memorised Jerison's formula, who's desperate to get
>> something, ANYTHING ! published, to get him out of
>> Liverpool into a soft, cozy campus tenure in the Mid- West.
>
> On the other hand, the equation itself says nothing about
> the behavior that the paper was actually about...
>
> And here's why it's interesting from Kortlandt's 1980 paper
> "How Might Early Hominids have Defended Themselves Against
> Large Predators and Food Competitors" JHE (1980) 9, 79-112.
>
> The defense strategy used by chimpanzees appear to be
> reasonably effective. In areas where leopards, lions and
> hyaenas abound these apes often walk for miles through open
> terrain, usually creating a noisy turmoil, sometimes walking
> alone, but apparently without ever being molested. No direct
> nor indirect evidence of carnivore predation has ever been
> found during the long term Gombe, Mahali and Kasakati
> research projects.

If you were to carry out similar investigations at other
reserves where chimpanzees are found, such as the zoos in
London or New York, you'd get similar results -- i.e. very
little predation. My point (which I know I have to explain) is
that NO chimp reserves would exist except in the absence of
predators. American colleges would not send their students --
so there would be no finance.

Paul.

[Rich Travs]

Paul Crowley wrote:
>
> "Rich Travsky" <traRvEsky@hotmMOVEail.com> wrote in message
> news:44E0D3D0.96C648FE@hotmMOVEail.com...
> > richardparker01@yahoo.com wrote:
> >> > http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/06080209-
> >> > 5823.htm
> >> >
> >> > Predators such as leopards and chimpanzees
> >> > consistently target smaller-brained prey less capable
> >> > of escape; research at the University of Liverpool has
> >> > shown.
>
> It is much more likely that large brains are correlated with
> slow growth, and single births, meaning that such species
> _necessarily_ exploit niches relatively free from predation
> -- such as those in trees. Those animals in niches where
> predation is high, must breed fast, and grow quickly. They
> will (other things being equal) have smaller brains.

Dr Shultz found that prey with a small brain such as small
antelope, mongooses and the red river hog were more
susceptible to attacks by predators compared with
larger-brained prey. The report showed a strong correlation
between the brain size of the prey and the predatory bias
towards it.

The finding is about relative brain sizes. The mongoose, for
example, is itself a predator, which does not make it immune
to being preyed upon.

> >> > They avoid more intelligent prey such as monkeys which
> >> > have exceptionally large brains and are more capable
> >> > of escaping attacks.
>
> >> On the other hand, it might just be a paper written by
> >> someone who's been through a palaeoanthropology course
> >> and memorised Jerison's formula, who's desperate to get
> >> something, ANYTHING ! published, to get him out of
> >> Liverpool into a soft, cozy campus tenure in the Mid-
> >> West.
> >
> > On the other hand, the equation itself says nothing about
> > the behavior that the paper was actually about...
> >
> > And here's why it's interesting from Kortlandt's 1980
> > paper "How Might Early Hominids have Defended Themselves
> > Against Large Predators and Food Competitors" JHE (1980)
> > 9, 79-112.
> >
> > The defense strategy used by chimpanzees appear to be
> > reasonably effective. In areas where leopards, lions and
> > hyaenas abound these apes often walk for miles through
> > open terrain, usually creating a noisy turmoil, sometimes
> > walking alone, but apparently without ever being molested.
> > No direct nor indirect evidence of carnivore predation has
> > ever been found during the long term Gombe, Mahali and
> > Kasakati research projects.
>
> If you were to carry out similar investigations at other
> reserves where chimpanzees are found, such as the zoos in
> London or New York, you'd get similar results -- i.e. very
> little predation. My point (which I know I have to explain)
> is that NO chimp reserves would exist except in the absence
> of predators. American colleges would not send their
> students -- so there would be no finance.

Prove it. Provide cites that chimp reserves are predator free.