[extropy-chat] big fierce animals

[Emlyn]

On 25/10/05, The Avantguardian <avantguardian2020 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> > An ecological niche for smaller carnivores
> > becomes apparent.  They could be built with
> > a relatively small but powerful jaw like a
> > pit bull and a short but heavily muscled
> > neck.  The relatively small carnivore could
> > make its living by running past a large
> > carnivore and ripping a hunk of flesh out
> > of the big guy's leg, then running off with
> > that one bite before the larger carnivore
> > could react.  Do you suppose this is how
> > velociraptor velocirapted?
>
> I don't think the velociraptors that were not starving
> would employ such a tactic against an adult. Just like
> hyenas don't eat lions and wolves don't eat bears.
> It's just way too high risk to give those that
> employed it many offspring. While T rex might have
> been bulkier and less manueverable, it also had a much
> larger stride. Young T rexes were probably fair game.
> Although killer whale pods will prey on sperm whales
> from time to time so maybe their was an occasional
> take down of an old or wounded T rex by velociraptor
> but it surely was not a staple food item. Please do
> give the king of the tyrant lizards its due.
>

This has reminded me of a game on the BBC's Science and Nature
website, "Big Al", where you play the part of an Allosaurus trying to
reach adulthood. I've played this with my kids, it's strangely
addictive.

>From the site:
"Big Al game

Eat enough to grow from a hatchling to an adult male Allosaurus.

There are four levels to progress through as you gain more weight. At
the start of each level you will be asked a question. How you answer
will affect your life as Big Al."

It's pretty tricky, especially early on. You can only successfully
kill tiny things and you need to eat a a certain rate to survive.
Bigger things will kill and eat you. If you are being hunted, staying
close to your mother helps I think, but iirc she eats you sometimes.
It's a tough life!

--
Emlyn

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