Re: Herbivore and predation

["Michael" <tons@ccs.netside.com>]

> Date:          Mon, 9 Jun 1997 14:46:31 -0400 (EDT)
> Reply-to:      NJPharris@aol.com
> From:          NJPharris@aol.com
> To:            jbois@umd5.umd.edu, sarima@ix.netcom.com
> Cc:            dinosaur@usc.edu
> Subject:       Re: Herbivore protection

> In a message dated 97-06-09 03:09:26 EDT, jbois@umd5.umd.edu (John Bois)
> writes:
> 
> > If all of your food has
> >  gone off to some remote site there is no point defending anything.
> 
> Yes, but the hadrosaurs would have lived in the predators' territories for
> the great majority of the time.  I would think that would make the territory
> worth defending!
> 
> Nick Pharris
> 
Predators defend their territory for food and sex.  Remember, not all 
herbivores migrate, even wildebeest.  Some just don't migrate with 
the others.  So ususally there is always some food walking around 
in their territory.  And female lions come into heat when their cubs 
die or after weening.  So males are constantly vigilant about 
defending their territory for sexual rights to the females who are 
the constant for the territory (in lions).  Prides defend their 
territory against other predators including other lion prides, 
individuals, etc. for food and ?sex.  Also, territories are dynamic 
and change with time depending on the success (and failures) of the 
predators.

Perhaps, T rex was like a polar bear and defended a roaming territory 
of hundreds of miles, traveling hundreds of miles at times;  or like 
a leopard, a loner with a relatively smallish distinct territory over 
time.  Or hyenas, or tigers, or wolves, or perhaps hawks.  (I wish I 
knew).

Michael Teuton