Cross Breeds

Why do wild animals run away from humans, but not other wild animals?

I've noticed I walked towards some rabbits and deer in a field and they all ran away. Why don't the rabbits run away from the deer or vice versa? Have most wild animals learnt that humans are preditors and should be avoided? Also, why do birds fly away when we approach them - whyy!

Public Comments

1. Good question. If they're wild, they're either not used to a human's scent and appearance - animals are designed be wary of anything they're not familiar with - and flee, or they reckognize a human as dangerous, and flee. Think about it. Deer and rabbits in particular have been hunted for centuries. As for birds, maybe to them we're just big and scary.
2. Most prey species tend to flee the moment they sense anything unfamiliar. Those that take the time to question whether it is actually a danger or not are the first to be eaten. Unless they KNOW something is not a threat, they assume that it is. Deer and rabbits are both prey species, so they tend to behave predictably and non-aggressively. If they've lived near each other long enough, they've probably figured this out. It can also be beneficial to prey species to mingle with other prey species so they can keep a better watch for predators. For example, deer may be better than rabbits at spotting hawks in the sky, but rabbits may be better at spotting snakes in the grass. By hanging out together, they can alert each other to danger. From the point of view of a wild animal, humans are very unpredictable in how we behave, so they tend to err on the side of caution and avoid us.