I’m assuming, because survival is a fear-based modality, that prey tend to lean towards flight rather than offensive moves.
But are there prey who go searching for predators, who in response, feign injury to lure them in – aside from humans?
I’m assuming, because survival is a fear-based modality, that prey tend to lean towards flight rather than offensive moves.
But are there prey who go searching for predators, who in response, feign injury to lure them in – aside from humans?
Some birds feign injury to lure predators away from their nest (and the eggs/young inside,) but this isn’t to attack them, it’s to distract the predator. Once they’re away form the nest they fly off.
But no, no prey goes out looking for predators and then attacks them.
Most prey will only be aggressive if the predator comes into their space. Large mammals typically respond with aggression- buffalo, elephants, other cows. Horses. They’re all more than capable of killing individual predators- which is why wolves or lions will only go after them in larger packs or prides.
Killdeer are notorious for this : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killdeer#Responses_to_predators
It mildly amuses me to be walking and a killdeer pretending to debilitated hobbling in front of me with a ““broken wing”” until I’m far enough from the nest (that I never saw or looked for) that it takes flight and heads out.