> > On Thu, 21 Dec 1995, Dennis Paulson wrote:
> > > Some birds, and frogs and rabbits (and perhaps many more animals), emit
> > > ear-piercing shreiks when caught by predators. It has been hypothesized
> > > that a startled predator might release such an animal.
>
> On Thu, 21 Dec 1995, Tom Foote wrote:
> > ..perhaps, but Richard Nelson, Rick Bass and some of the writers
> > who write about the hunt, speculate that the animal's cry is a
> > signal to bring in other predators to finish the job more
> > expeditiously...(in the case of wolves in particular, since
> > Anthropologist Nelson lives in Alaska)
>
> Well, a strategy that aims at escape, no matter how slim the chances,
> certainly seems more plausible to me than one that aims at quick and
> efficient suicide. The latter, as the evolutionists say, is not selected
> for ;-)
>
> Yet a third commonly mentioned hypothesis is that alarm cries may attract
> a bigger predator to the scene. In the ensuing confusion, the original
> prey may escape. Playing "rabbit in distress" calls is a classic way to
> attract predators, from owls to bobcats, and certainly there is little
> friendliness among the predators.
>
> Chris Hill
> Everett, WA
> cehill at u.washington.edu
>
>

It's also true that distress calls, whether at the sight of a predator or while
under attack, warn "friends and relatives" of the danger. It may be too late
for the victim, but it obviously helps the species survive.

Dean Wampler dean at amc.com