Mammals – North American Nature

If you have ever watched animals in the wild or if you have pets, then you will probably have seen quarrels, fights, and threats between the same species. Animals in the wild fight for territory, mates, food, water, and nesting sites. Fighting is generally a last resort, and other techniques are used to avoid this. If you want to know more about why animals fight, then there is great information below. One of the features of a mammal is that they have hair. Find out why mammals have hair in this article I wrote At some stage in their lives, all mammals will show aggression to another animal. Aggression is an important part of an animal's survival strategy. There are often resources that other members of the species will be after, such as getting food, water, mates, and nesting sites. Therefore, aggression usually occurs between members of the same species. Avoiding Fights Although aggression does occur, animals of the same species try to stop this before it has even started. Territorial marking, such as scent marking, keeps others out of a specific area and allows mammals to protect the resources. The risk of fighting is reduced using signals between animals before a fight. When encountering another tomcat, male cats will often stand with their tail up and their legs straight. They scream and howl at each other before either fighting or one backing down. Many mammals hibernate during winter. Find out more in this article I wrote Signs Of Aggression Rats are another mammal that will show different signs of aggression before fighting. Brown rats, when meeting rats from another group, will make themselves look bigger. Their hair stands on end, and their backs arch. They approach each other, gnashing their teeth before standing on their back legs. If one doesn’t give way to the other, they will start to box until one falls over. Although their teeth will keep gnashing, they remain motionless, with one on top of the other. If the one on the ground does not give up, then the biting and wrestling happen. Fights normally last no longer a minute, although one normally gives up before it gets too far. Animals will use different techniques to show their willingness to fight. Some, such as the rats mentioned above, will make themselves look larger by rearing up, extending the hair on their back, and provide a side view. Others, such as foxes, will bare their teeth, showing their willingness to bite. Deer and other hoofed animals will paw the ground, much like a bull would. Others use noise, including screaming, hissing, and howling, to show their aggressiveness. Using these techniques allows the animals to assess each other. Mammals do not want to use their limited energy in fighting and disputes, so aggression is limited so that animals that live together can do so without problems. This is especially true in animals that are social and form groups. Fighting is limited, and biting and wrestling is generally avoided as it can be dangerous to both animals involved. By using their teeth to bite the other's body, the neck is put at risk. Many mammals are classed as near threatened. Find out more here Agonistic Behavior When fighting, an animal has regard for their own safety, so outright aggression is rarely seen. Animals use agonistic behavior, which includes defensive and aggressive behavior. This can be seen in various ways in different animals. Cats use agonistic behavior when they arch their backs. Although it looks like the hind legs are moving forward, it is the front legs that are moving backward, moving the front away from any threat. Agonistic behavior can also be seen by the head-bobbing of animals when sizing each other up. By moving their heads forward and backward, they retreat their heads away from danger while also moving it forward to attack. Protecting Their Young It is well known that a grizzly bear with cubs nearby can be very aggressive, which is the same for most animals. Pregnant animals or those who have just given birth can be especially aggressive and protect their young to the best of their abilities. Even animals that are not known to be aggressive such as weasels can be dangerous when young are present. It is not only the females that can be particularly aggressive, but males can also be aggressive to defend their young. Animals that are defending their own territories will almost always win against an animal from the same species. This is because they have more to lose and will fight harder. Their territory includes their source of food and water along with their den or nest. A lack of food and water can also make animals fight. Want to know why moths eat clothes? Find out in this article I wrote. Social Animals In pack or group animals, the effects of where the animal is in the social hierarchy can be determined by fighting. This gives the animal priority when it comes to food, water, and mates. The rest of the group will show that they accept the winner's dominance by appeasing or submission to the leader. Wolves and foxes will often show this by crouching close to the ground with their tails between their legs, sometimes rolling on their backs. These gestures are not only used after a fight but can also be one of the techniques to avoid a fight when meeting another animal. The submissive animal can avoid a fight even in another territory by showing submission to another animal, including grooming or crouching. Aggression is used to survive in the wild and is a behavior that seems to be both instinctive and learned from experience. Many mammals are carnivores. Find out more here