托福口语 Task 4

Today we're going to talk about a fascinating concept in animal behavior known as 'safety in numbers,' but with a twist—how predators can actually exploit this very principle. The main point is that some predators use the group behavior of prey to their advantage, turning the prey's defensive strategy into a hunting tool. Let me give you two examples. First, consider the orca whale. When hunting herring, orcas don't chase individual fish. Instead, they work together to herd the massive school into a tight, dense ball near the surface. Then, one orca slaps the ball with its tail, stunning or killing many fish at once. The prey's instinct to stay together for protection actually makes them easier to catch in bulk. Second, think of the African wild dog. These canines hunt wildebeest herds. Instead of targeting a healthy adult, they single out a weaker or younger individual and chase it, causing the herd to scatter. But the scattering creates confusion, and the dogs focus on their chosen target, which often becomes isolated and exhausted—making it an easy kill. So in both cases, the predators use the very group dynamics that prey rely on for safety to increase their own hunting success.