Hunting The Elements: Fill & Download for Free

Assuming they were without language, training in toolmaking, ability to distinguish between edible and inedible plants, no experience in hunting, no clothing or other protection against the elements, no ability to compensate for issues such as poor vision, and absolutely no protection from parasites and diseases, I’d expect the main physical change to be from being alive to being dead.

Imagine you were training an assistant. After signing him up, you told him to go kill all of the little children in the assistant training corps, and he did it.He then spends the next 25 years obeying every command you give him, including hunting and killing as many of his friends and ex-coworkers as possible. Atrocities are regularly committed in your name. Throughout the years, you get nothing but absolute loyalty from the guy.Would you expect him to randomly betray you and throw you into the reactor of an about-to-explode battle station, knowing full well that doing so would also fry his artificial lungs and kill him too? I know I would not expect that.Never underestimate the element of surprise.

Did you know that coyotes and badgers sometimes hunt together? Because I know I sure didn’t.(Credit: Charles Stanniers Jr.)When hunting the larger coyote will chase the prey into its burrow where the badger lies in wait. Then the rodent is forced to choose, death by coyote or death by badger. If it leaves the ground the coyote will snatch it up and if it stays underground it will fall to the badger’s jaws.While only one of the two hunters will usually get the meal, research has shown that this partnership increases both predators’ chances of success by 33%.“You carnivores need to quit badgering me!!!” (Credit: Michael Francis)This red-billed oxpecker may seem like it’s helping out the cape buffalo by eating ticks but not all is as it seems…“My doctor says these birds will keep away the ticks…I’m not so sure.”A controlled experiment showed that the number of ticks on a host’s body didn’t significantly decrease in the presence of the oxpeckers who instead feasted on the blood of their victim’s wounds. While they would eat the occasional tick, it was hardly beneficial and just goes to show that not everything is as it seems.“I knew these birds weren’t healthy. Just look what they’ve done to my complexion!”The relationship between the lesserblack tarantula and the dotted humming frog is one of the most bizarre.“Child predators beware. My little friend here will send you packing!”The tarantula is definitely able to kill this tiny frog but it chooses not to. The massive spider protects the dotted humming frog and in turn the small amphibian eats ants which are notorious for devouring tarantula eggs. It's almost amusing to note that sometimes these tarantulas will pick up their little partners with their mouths, study them and then let them go unharmed!The predator-prey relationship between the rattlesnake and squirrel isn’t as friendly as it may seem.“Hello my good sir. I see you, and just so you know I won’t be an easy victim.”When a squirrel sees a rattlesnake approaching, the mammal will wave its tail around but it’s not saying hello. The tail waving serves as a sort of warning, basically telling the snake that is has lost the element of surprise and will have to work hard to catch its prey. As a result snakes will often leave and look for easier prey.Even humans have some bizarre relationships with animals.The relationship between the honeyguide and certain people in Africa is an interesting one. First a man will call the bird with a simple whistle. Once the bird arrives it will lead the human gatherers to a beehive where they will use smoke to drive off bees and take honey. The bizarre part is why the honeyguide helps humans. It turns out that they like cooked meals too and will feed on smoked honeycomb left by the villagers.“I like my honey smoked!” (Credit: Edward Selfe)Hope you enjoyed these 5 strange animal relationships and I hope I taught you something new about these wonderful creatures!