Which Animals are the Best and Worst Hunters
- Pixabay/rainhard2
In terms of sheer efficiency, something like a large python might deserve the crown, Belk said.
"A big snake like that can sit in one place and wait and wait and wait and wait. And finally, when the right animal happens by, they'll grab it and make a kill," Belk said.Â
"For these large snakes, that might only happen two or three times a year,"
Another way to approach the question could be to consider adaptability as a measure of skill. Jason Fisher, a wildlife biologist at the University of Victoria in Canada, said coyotes are the likely winners here, as they're capable of hunting alone or in a group and of feasting on everything from moose calves to mice.Â
Their flexibility has helped them thrive in most habitats, including human cities.Â
"Understanding what resources are available to you and exploiting them makes for an amazing predator," Fisher said.Â
Otherwise, some species are simply so innovative that it's hard not to consider them winners. Archerfish — tropical fish native to the mangroves of Southeast Asia — can judge the distance between themselves and an insect sitting on a leaf from below the water, and can then knock it down using a carefully aimed jet of water.
Across distances of 2 feet (65 centimeters) or less, their aim is nearly 100?curate. Octopuses have been similarly successful at hunting outside their natural element: In addition to using their legendary camouflage, these cephalopods can take to land for small periods of time in pursuit of prey.
And which animal is the worst hunter? Fisher said that, in some ways, that's an even harder question to answer. Every species that hunts is, by definition, successful, as it can sustain itself as a population.Â
"They're just so awkwardly shaped, and their strategy is bizarre. Nothing that wolverines hunt by getting into their prey's face and frightening them with screams and other loud noises. They basically say, if it works, that's cool, and if it doesn't, I'm out of luck," Fisher concluded.Â
Dampak Perubahan Iklim Bikin Makhluk Menyeramkan Ini Semakin Membesar
Ketika suhu di Arktik terus menghangat, sebuah fenomena menakutkan juga mulai muncul. Makhluk menyeramkan yang memiliki taktik berburu ganas semakin membesar. Apa itu?
