Ambush (croc)

Pursuit (cheetah)

Pursuit pack (lion, dog, wolf)

Trap (spider)

Drone workers (bees, ants)

Many animals inherit the behaviours they need to survive in their environment by learning from their parents, who have successfully survived in the same environment.

It's like how very few people are born stateless - we inherit citizenship from our parents. No one springs out of the ground.

Group co-operation

A group will overcome individual strength.

But they must pay the price of cooperation - of sacrificing self-interest for group interest.

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/25511000-ad9e-4fde-8d0e-7ba7ba1a0272/cZoh2lfx7d.gif

Competitive advantage

The role of an animal in an ecosystem may depend on what that animals competitive advantage is.

For the leopard, it is night eyesight. This lends well to the nighttime hunt.

For the owl, it is silent flight. This also lends well to th nighttime hint.

For the hyena, it is jaw strength. This lends well to bullying other animals out of their food.

For the human, it is tool use. That allowed them to take on many potential competitive advantage roles. Extend into new environments, extend its digestive system to allow more nutrients for the brain, long range weapons to hunt, clothes to adapt to cold environments.

<aside> 📮 Know someone who'd like this article?

You can easily share it by clicking the share icon, then 'Copy link'

</aside>