Hare Evolution.....

[feed the bear 13]

Hare evolution

The hare is the shape, size, speed etc, because of hundreds of years of avoiding capture from predators. Evolution has designed it to be agile, quick with great hearing, eyes and smell senses. It is the king of all the prey animals, as it proves by sitting in the middle of a field in broad daylight. In its head it is invincible. No one will catch it; evolution has been kind to it.

 

When a hare sees a dog approach, it normally uses the dogs speed against it. Itll amble off and wait till the dog is within striking distance and with a quick jink, the dog will over shoot and the hare will gain an advantage. This will go on till either the hare finds sanctuary or the dog will tire. This is what the hare is used to over the years. Evolution has adapted it to this type of chasing.

 

This was fine until the introduction of the saluki. An animal which has mythological stamina. The hare when seeing the dog approach goes through the same tried and tested moves which has seen it survive until now. But there is a difference.... the dog doesnt possess the same speed to use it against it and it just wants to follow without the striking. We all know a hare only runs as fast as it gets chased so by the time it realises this isnt no usual scenario, its too late.

 

Now, if the hare knew that years of evolution were working against it, it would take flight and run as fast as it could in a straight line to sanctuary instead of waiting to show off its moves. Do you think it possible for a hare to adapt to this style of running in one part of the country? Will hares, say on the fens devise a way of running for this type of adversary? Can evolution change a hare in one part of the country or does it need to be a worldwide change?

 

Your thoughts please........

Edited September 24, 2010 by feed the bear

[riohog 5,701]

well you see man had to interveen hear ,, he / or some in there wisdom desided that the hare couldnt evolve quick enough to elude the mythical beast <saluki>...............so he baned hare coursing to help the hare

[Malt 379]

Now, if the hare knew that years of evolution were working against it, it would take flight and run as fast as it could in a straight line to sanctuary instead of waiting to show off its moves. Do you Is it possible for a hare to adapt to this style of running in one part of the country? Will hares, say on the fens devise a way of running for this type of adversary? Can evolution change a hare in one part of the country or does it need to be a worldwide change?

 

Your thoughts please........

 

Evolution can and does happen in a species at a local level, it's how related but distinct animals diverge from a common ancestor. The time scale is the issue as to whether or not man's pursuit of the hare would be a major factor in it's evolution though.

[hullhunter 219]

evolution is something that happens over millions of years so we will never no.

[Tyla 3,179]

I'm on here as Tyla, but its his misses writing - assassingirl. I know a little bit about evolution. The way it works is if there are selection pressures acting on the species it will select for animals with adaptive traits, ie the hare that outruns the saluki types will live longer and reproduce, passing its genetics on. The ones that get caught by the salukis wont breed and pass on its genes. this can be a localised event. If the predator reaction is inheritable then it can be passed on genetically. howvere, if it is not inheritable, ie its a learnt process then genetics doesnt come into play and the next generation will have to learn how to escape the salukis. Evolution can happen in just a few generations, depending on how strong the selection pressure is.

If you want to know more look up the peppered moth evolution on google, the light coloured one was the most common as it was well camoflaged, until the industrial revolution when the tree trunks turned darker, a darker 'melanic' form evolved through natural selection, but only in areas of increased industrial activity. Hope this helps! Assassingirl x

[Malt 379]

evolution is something that happens over millions of years so we will never no.

 

Not necessarily, look at the evolution of the peppered moth:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peppered_moth_evolution

 

Nothing like a hare, but it does go to show that nature can adapt quicker than you might think.. Food for thought.

[Malt 379]

I'm on here as Tyla, but its his misses writing - assassingirl. I know a little bit about evolution. The way it works is if there are selection pressures acting on the species it will select for animals with adaptive traits, ie the hare that outruns the saluki types will live longer and reproduce, passing its genetics on. The ones that get caught by the salukis wont breed and pass on its genes. this can be a localised event. If the predator reaction is inheritable then it can be passed on genetically. howvere, if it is not inheritable, ie its a learnt process then genetics doesnt come into play and the next generation will have to learn how to escape the salukis. Evolution can happen in just a few generations, depending on how strong the selection pressure is.

If you want to know more look up the peppered moth evolution on google, the light coloured one was the most common as it was well camoflaged, until the industrial revolution when the tree trunks turned darker, a darker 'melanic' form evolved through natural selection, but only in areas of increased industrial activity. Hope this helps! Assassingirl x

 

You just about beat me to it girl!

Edited September 24, 2010 by maltenby

[riohog 5,701]

both pray and predator evolve , pray gets smarter .... so does the predetor to catch it!!

[Malt 379]

both pray and predator evolve , pray gets smarter .... so does the predetor to catch it!!

 

Aye, maybe that theory would have worked if the dogs who couldn't catch the hare died off because they went hungry, (in a wild scenario) or got culled for not making the grade.. These days they get bred from and the offspring sold off on here for a few bucks..

 

The old hare has never had it as good!

[riohog 5,701]

both pray and predator evolve , pray gets smarter .... so does the predetor to catch it!!

 

Aye, maybe that theory would have worked if the dogs who couldn't catch the hare died off because they went hungry, (in a wild scenario) or got culled for not making the grade.. These days they get bred from and the offspring sold off on here for a few bucks..

 

The old hare has never had it as good!

 

pmsl yeah thatll stir up a hornets nest ..lol

[hullhunter 219]

evolution is something that happens over millions of years so we will never no.

 

Not necessarily, look at the evolution of the peppered moth:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peppered_moth_evolution

 

Nothing like a hare, but it does go to show that nature can adapt quicker than you might think.. Food for thought.

 

i stand corected.

[Malt 379]

both pray and predator evolve , pray gets smarter .... so does the predetor to catch it!!

 

Aye, maybe that theory would have worked if the dogs who couldn't catch the hare died off because they went hungry, (in a wild scenario) or got culled for not making the grade.. These days they get bred from and the offspring sold off on here for a few bucks..

 

The old hare has never had it as good!

 

pmsl yeah thatll stir up a hornets nest ..lol

 

Just trying to have a laugh mate, not making statements or pointing fingers. Someone will probably take it the wrong way though..

[Leeview 791]

Pre-ban we were out netting hares on an estate in East Yorks all went well and to plan the keeper was well into his 60's and had started after the 2nd war and said when he started out if they saw 6 hares in a season while beating through woodland it was unusual,but that season they had put 18 out of 1 wood on a drive and no one batted an eyelid. The point he was making was exactly what this topics about the hares had adapted to the surroundings

Y.I.S Leeview

[moonlighter 1,163]

i dont know about evolution, but hares can get wise to the ways of a dog over the course of a season. there is one place where we run which runs along a train track. when we first started runing there say 5/10 years ago the hares ran normally, totally ignoring the train track, some getting killed some not. now when we go the hares straight line for the track flat out, then run down it and escape in some cover. they never get caught now and seemrd to have learned this.

[feed the bear 13]

i dont know about evolution, but hares can get wise to the ways of a dog over the course of a season. there is one place where we run which runs along a train track. when we first started runing there say 5/10 years ago the hares ran normally, totally ignoring the train track, some getting killed some not. now when we go the hares straight line for the track flat out, then run down it and escape in some cover. they never get caught now and seemrd to have learned this.

 

Thats exactly what I'm talking about..... Do you think the hares on the fens will employ this line of thinking eventually?