wareagle69
10-01-2008, 07:34 PM
1. Why do chipmunk/squirrels continuous flick their tails??
Answer: Squirrels continuously flick their tails so that they can be easily seen and to let you know that they see you. this is because red squirrels have evolved to escape capture from predators, by outrunning and out manouvering them. Thus they are only vulnerable when surprised; so they adapted a strategy of see your predator at all times, know what they are doing and dare them to come after you.
A chipmunk can get very nervous when she suspects a predator is in the area but cannot see him. She has a better chance of escape if she knows where the attack is coming from. So she taunts him to show himself by flicking her tail as a lure in raising an irresistable ruckus on top of it. The snorting and stomping of a deer is for the same reason.
2. Instead of running of the road deer sometimes zigzag in front of cars and end up getting hit. What is the reason for this suicidal behaviour??
Answer: All through the deers evolution there predators have been wolves, coyotes and mountain lions. Deer have attempted to elude predation by zigzagging and trying to outrun predators be it pursuing animals or cars, they do not rationalize that cars do not want to run them down so in fear of their lives they are just doing what comes natural. It is hard to get inside another animals head to understand why they might act as they do from human perpesctive a deers behaviour seems to be irrational but from the deers perspective he is in a instant of panic and terror bolting for his life. That is why he would do something crazy like run infront of a vehicle somethimes even after he is safely off the road.
Answer: Squirrels continuously flick their tails so that they can be easily seen and to let you know that they see you. this is because red squirrels have evolved to escape capture from predators, by outrunning and out manouvering them. Thus they are only vulnerable when surprised; so they adapted a strategy of see your predator at all times, know what they are doing and dare them to come after you.
A chipmunk can get very nervous when she suspects a predator is in the area but cannot see him. She has a better chance of escape if she knows where the attack is coming from. So she taunts him to show himself by flicking her tail as a lure in raising an irresistable ruckus on top of it. The snorting and stomping of a deer is for the same reason.
2. Instead of running of the road deer sometimes zigzag in front of cars and end up getting hit. What is the reason for this suicidal behaviour??
Answer: All through the deers evolution there predators have been wolves, coyotes and mountain lions. Deer have attempted to elude predation by zigzagging and trying to outrun predators be it pursuing animals or cars, they do not rationalize that cars do not want to run them down so in fear of their lives they are just doing what comes natural. It is hard to get inside another animals head to understand why they might act as they do from human perpesctive a deers behaviour seems to be irrational but from the deers perspective he is in a instant of panic and terror bolting for his life. That is why he would do something crazy like run infront of a vehicle somethimes even after he is safely off the road.