The Topi - The Low Down Cheap Little Punk

Sunday 23 May 2010

.... taking everyone for a ride. How do you keep your mate close to you? It seems that the Topi antelope of Kenya will resort to lying. If a female wanders off then the male begins to snort and stare. This is the signal to the female that there is a predator is around and that there may be danger in the near future from which, of course, he can protect her.

It seems that the report of this behaviour by Jakob Bro-Jørgensen and his team is the very first time that deception of such a flagrant kind has been reported in an animal. Except one. Any guesses which one that might be? No prizes for guessing correctly, that's for sure!

Of course other animals do indeed feign certain behaviours, normally in battle or to protect their young. However, this is the first time that tactical deception has been demonstrated with such forethought. Clever old topi antelopes!

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