When You Are Prey...
…you need to run, and run early.
Prey species rely on hyper-vigilance to survive, often paired with the instinct to flee at the first sign of danger. Sometimes, prey species will have an alarm system built into their social structure, whether a call or visual cue that danger may be approaching. And that’s all they have, for the most part…raise the alarm, and run like hell.
Because of that limited (or non-existent) ability to successfully fight off an attacker, prey animals will also stampede at even the hint of danger. After all, when your survival depends on escape, the sooner you start running, the better your chances.
Not that avoiding or fleeing danger is a bad idea…most of the time, it is the best choice. But as tool-using humans, we have more and better options than much of the rest of the animal kingdom…if we choose to use them. But it is a sign of the times when human beings choose to be prey, and spook at the first sign of danger, rather than equip themselves with the mindset and gear which gives them a fighting chance.
Recently in Florida, the sound of a balloon popping in a mall resulted in a virtual stampede of toothless herbivores, fleeing even the hint of danger with the understanding that escape was their only hope.
I just wonder how long it will take the evolutionary process to move our eyes to the sides of our heads?