As you can see in the image above, when a predator is not obviously present, the level of vigilance/alarm/nonchalance exhibited by its prey can vary greatly, from one individual to another.
This is true even within a small, close-spaced, single-species group.
Spotted deer (also known as axis deer or chital) are India’s most numerous and most widely distributed deer.
They are one of the world’s fastest mammals; over a short distance, when running for their lives, they can reach 65kph – more than 20 kph faster than the fastest part of the human world record holder’s 100 metres sprint.
Some humans (this one included) regard Axis Axis as a particularly beautiful, highly sociable, always-interesting species.
Others – particularly those too-exclusively focused on “big cats” – do not wish to “waste” their time on such a “common” animal.
India’s two biggest cats and the two “common” deer who are tigers’ and leopards’ most-preferred prey will each have a multi-image Pelican Yoga post during 2023.
Photo is copyright Doug Spencer, taken in Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, Karnataka, at 8.05 am on 04 March 2023.