From here. This being the official Fainting Goat website, it says nobody is certain of the critter’s origin. But other sources indicate the breed was kept with flocks of sheep as a decoy. When the big bad wolves came around, all the critters would be startled, but the fainting goat would, well, faint and provide a delectible distraction for the predators. OK. But I have trouble with the theory for two reasons:
it tells the predators that hanging around the flock is a realy good way to get a free & easy meal &
why not just kill one of the lamer sheep instead? Either way you lose some livestock.
I have no idea of the Darwinian implications of what we call nervous goats but I can sure tell you they are funny as hell! Before any one bashes me for that, I haven’t scared a goat in many years and it is not at all harmful or painful to the goat.
Evolution, one would think, would have relegated individuals with this propensity to “Food” long ago had the property not been noticed and actively utilized.
And while I do agree, Lobsang, that not all animals can learn where the easy meat is, this is distinctly the realm of the predator–whose job it is to outwit the beasts of the field. On look at the polar bears that learn about garbage dump smorgasbords will tell ya what I mean.