# predator/prey **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 22, 2000, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predator-prey/23240 "2000-06-22T21:36:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sledman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Sledman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sledman)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predator-prey/23240/21 "2000-06-23T16:12:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > Whew! Somebody FINALLY said the secret words–“depth perception”. > > Sledman, anything that needs to jump and catch something to eat needs depth perception. \*\* Uh… yeah, I said that in the OP. So fish leave a chink in the theory. Birds follow the theory and land mammals follow the theory. So it should say that all land mammals can be defined as predator/prey by their eye position. ---
**Author:** ![Phobos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Phobos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phobos)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predator-prey/23240/22 "2000-06-23T16:29:29Z")
I’d agree that predator/prey distinction is not black & white. Many creatures are both. There are only a handful of “top of the food chain” creatures. But I suppose the main distinction is whether their primary food source is obtained through hunting other animals or from grazing. Perhaps “parasite” is another classification to add the mix (someone mentioned ticks, mites, etc.)…although they feed on other animals, the “hunting” can be passive or active. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2000, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predator-prey/23240/23 "2000-06-23T17:27:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > Oh my God! When did owls (For one.) go extinct?! > \*\* You could have simply told me I _was_ misinformed, you know…😛 ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2000, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predator-prey/23240/24 "2000-06-24T01:40:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > originally posted by Duck Duck Goose: > > anything that needs to jump and catch something to eat needs depth perception. > > Does a chameleon have depth perception? My understanding is that both of the eyes of a chameleon are independent, so that would seem to rule out depth perception. > > I realize chameleons don’t go hopping through the treetops to catch grasshoppers, but they are “jumping” with their tongue. > \*\* In chameleons, I belive that while they do operate independently when scanning for food, they are able to focus both their eyes on the prey when striking. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2000, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predator-prey/23240/25 "2000-06-24T19:35:53Z")
Quoth Wood Thrush (in reference to owls): > [@](#): > > Not only that, but the ears are on both sides of the head, so they have one on the left and one on the right! Um, someone please tell me that was meant sarcastically… I’m afraid I can’t see what’s so remarkable about a creature having one ear on each side. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2000, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predator-prey/23240/26 "2000-06-25T15:36:42Z")
Snakes? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2000, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predator-prey/23240/27 "2000-06-25T20:30:16Z")
I would think that the eye placement=predator would be in one direction, only. In other words, I can’t think of any non-predators that have forward-facing eyes, (even members of PETA prey on some people’s nerves), but there are a good number of predators with side-facing eyes. Few snakes have eyes mounted for depth perception (I know, they are not mammals) and sperm whales do not have forward facing eyes (I know, they are not terrestial), but there are also predatory mice that have side-facing eyes. Therefore, it seems that forward-facing equals predator, but predator does not depend on forward-facing. ---
**Author:** ![Wood\_Thrush](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b38774/32.png) [@Wood\_Thrush](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wood_Thrush)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2000, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predator-prey/23240/28 "2000-06-25T22:18:02Z")
Well, **Chronos** , it was meant more as a quip than sarcasm. The best way too see for yourself whether or not an animal is a predator is to follow it around for a few years to see what it eats. Or analyze the overall anatomy. ---
**Author:** ![eggo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@eggo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eggo)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2000, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predator-prey/23240/29 "2000-06-26T03:22:42Z")
squirils (definately NOT predators) have forward-looking eyes. as for the anamals with independant eyes (chamelion, lobster, snail, etc) are they considered in this ruling? the chamilion can look forward and achive binocular vision to catch food with it’s tounge. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predator-prey/23240/30 "2000-06-27T08:39:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > squirils (definately NOT predators) have forward-looking eyes. > as for the anamals with independant eyes (chamelion, lobster, snail, etc) are they considered in this ruling? the chamilion can look forward and achive binocular vision to catch food with it’s tounge. > \*\* Didn’t I answer that a couple of days ago? Oh, yep. There it is. Just above you, eggo. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predator-prey/23240/31 "2000-06-27T13:35:35Z")
> [@](#): > > squirils (definately NOT predators) have forward-looking eyes. No. Squirrels, like most animals that tend to move forward, have eyes that can see ahead of them. They, likes goats, horses, and numerous other animals have eyes that can both be seen when looked at from directly in front of the animal. However, the eyes are mounted on the sides of the head and the head narrows to the front. The eyes are not set side-by-side in a forward-looking position. [squirrel photo](http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/single_image/0,5716,11643+asmbly%5Fid,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predator-prey/23240/32 "2000-06-27T16:51:48Z")
**tomndebb** , you posted a photo of a ground squirrel. But some squirrels definitely have eyes set side-by-side in a forward-looking position. [Audubon drawing of a squirrel](http://www.jjaudubon.com/quadrupeds/plates/plate028a.html) ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predator-prey/23240/33 "2000-06-27T17:53:50Z")
Good picture, though, **AW**! Of course, since we are now considering Flying Squirrels, (who, it could be guessed, might need better depth perception in flight), I had to go look up a photo of this [Northern Flying Squirrel](http://www.squirrels.org/f192.htm) (which would be the same species as the one in your drawing). ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2000, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predator-prey/23240/34 "2000-06-27T19:10:48Z")
**tomndebb** , you’ve come through again. I agree with you that my link displayed a spurious drawing of the flying squirrel, revealing a jocular facet of Mr. Audubon’s character that was previously unknown to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predator-prey/23240.md?page=1)