Refs:Wild animals in captivity
Wild Animals in Captivity
Author: H. Hediger
ISBN: 9781483226149
!!page 19 These facts, indispensable for understanding the following explanation, may be summed up like this: on suddenly encountering an enemy, the animal shows a characteristic escape reaction, specific for sex, age, enemy, and surroundings, as soon as the enemy approaches within a definite distance (the flight distance). The escape reaction may perhaps have the characteristics of an 'Appetenz relationship' in LORENZ's sense, for M. HOLZAPFEL ( (1940) 278) thinks it restores the animal to its relative state of rest, disturbed by the enemy. This state of rest can only be restored when enemy and victim are once more at a distance greater than the animal's specific flight distance. The presence of an enemy within that distance produces a condition of violent disturbance. In flight, the animal is urged by the impulse to escape from its enemy. If it is followed and gradually overtaken by the enemy, the animal's flight reaction suddenly changes when the enemy comes within the animal's defence distance. The attack resulting from this change, always with the character of self defence (emergency), is called the defence reaction, and is characteristic for each species. Finally, it may be that owing to the presence of an enemy the animal wants to escape, but circumstances may prevent it; for instance, it may find itself cornered, or feel that it is. In such a situation it shows (again specifically) critical reaction the moment its enemy reaches the critical distance. This critical reaction consists of an attack, with emergency characteristics. Flight, defence, and critical distances are specific, within certain limits, and may be accurately measured, often within inches. By far the chief pre-occupation of wild animals at liberty is finding safety i.e. perpetual safety from enemies, and avoiding enemies.
