Re: Addendum to Trex vision as support for scavenging...

[Dann Pigdon <dannj@alphalink.com.au>]

don ohmes wrote:
> 
> Timeliness of carcass acquisition is critical to the viability of the 
> mega-scavenger concept, IMO. This why olfaction is a relatively inefficient 
> method of carcass detection, and in fact is why I never liked the concept of 
> Trex as obligate scavenger. By the time a carcass starts to stink, it is TOO 
> LATE to utilize it efficiently; the good parts have been eaten by others and 
> decomposition is advancing rapidly. Also, the "nasal" scavenger is hampered 
> by the geometry of air circulation (NEVER 360 degrees, unlike a visual cue), 
> and the vagaries of the weather, including the 24 hour heating/cooling cycle. 
> TRAILING prey can be very efficient, but pinpointing the (random) location of 
> a stationary odor source from any great distance (FORGET 6 km) is very iffy, 
> difficult, and time-consuming.

Hyaenas manage to find fresh kills based on scent (especially at night,
when tell-tale vultures are tucked up in bed). You don't need to smell a
rotting carcass - just the smell of fresh blood in abundance.

-- 
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Dann Pigdon
GIS / Archaeologist         http://heretichides.soffiles.com
Melbourne, Australia        http://www.geocities.com/dannsdinosaurs
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