# Does the Nose Know? How Animals Detect Fear



## News Bot (May 19, 2011)

Although I’ve never personally come face-to-face with an angry bear or an aggressive crocodile, I’d like to think that I’d know what to do if I did; I’d defuse the situation by staying perfectly calm, because as everyone knows, animals can smell fear. Or can they? 

*Published On:* 18-May-11 01:43 AM
*Source:* digg

*Go to digg Page*


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## $NaKe PiMp (May 19, 2011)

they smell the crap in you just dumped in your pants


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## Bluetongue1 (May 19, 2011)

I have a theory about how this old chestnut arose... 

Individuals who have been ‘in the sights’ of a dangerous animal and who have stood their ground, or even challenged the animal, have not been attacked. Those who run for cover instead have been pursued and often partially mauled before the got away. 

Problem is, we don’t get to hear about ‘standing your ground’ failures. There usually isn’t enough left by the scavengers to say what happened. Where this strategy has been successful, is probably due to the unexpected behavioural response of prey or intruder not reacting normally. It might just work if the animal is not feeling too hungry or excessively territorial. Then again…

Blue


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## Jackrabbit (May 19, 2011)

I think the secret to standing your ground is looking bigger than you really are. My guess is if a bear or lion charged at you on your own, you are dinner. 

If there is a group of you and you clump together and make a threatening noise then you stand a chance. Just don't put me at the front, in case it doesn't work though LOL. :lol:

Having said that if you decide to run you don't have to run faster than the bear/lion, just the people you are with. PSML


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## Bez84 (May 19, 2011)

Most predators have a instinct to chase so if u run then there brain will trigger them to automatically chase you...


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## CrystalMoon (May 19, 2011)

I was living in an area that had dingo cross animals running in packs of up 20 animals at times. Parks and wildlife didn't seem to want to do anything about them(this was15 years ago)they hadnt been sighted in awhile, so I let my 13 year old Son go fishing at the creek 1/2 a k away, it had Quarry trucks driving through it hourly. He was gone about an hour, I had this unexplicable feeling of unease and dread. I jumped in the truck and drove done there only to find him up a tree, as I jumped out I thought I saw a movement. Bill shouted to get back in the truck, there were dogs all around. On having a better look there were dogs under cover everywhere, Paternal instinct took over. I grabbed the stock whip and just bowled on in there like a whip cracking Banshee(lol)there were dogs going everywhere, I was lucky I suppose..cause these dogs had stopped many people from walking/using the area because they were not timid, Bill said they had even tried to get him out of the tree. Size difference? no at 13 he was my height. Manner? he was used to hunting in the bush from even in the womb lol so he was not easily intimidated.... I put it down to Me not backing away and being obviously more aggressive than they wished to tangle with.......in short I probably bluffed them with the whip cracking and my manner....


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## Tristan (May 19, 2011)

as Bez said if you run Predatory animals are used to their prey running so you running reinforces that you are indeed prey.
and just look at the defense reaction of most animals they ALL make them selves look and sound bigger and meaner than they are.
frilled lizard frill up and his even pretend to charge
cats fur stands on end and they make crazy growling sounds 
snakes his and strike out and raise them selves up
Bears stand up at full height 
birds fluff out their wings and feathers

sure it does not always work but its better than simply doing what the predator is used to you doing, crystal made a good point simply showing the gusto and putting on a good display she was able to intimidate a pack of dogs, but as i say that i think it needs to be kept in mind, that a defense like that will only work if the animal is hunting, if you stand your ground and the animal is simply defending its own home well I'm pretty willing to bet it will come to blows.

the best thing is to simply be aware of the surroundings and simply go at times to reduce the conflict, example: Swimming in the sea when the water is murky during sunrise/set and baiting for crabs/crays is the best time to bump into a shark. they hunt mostly around sunrise/set they love murky water cos they can see you but you cant see them, and the baiting smells like nom noms for them.


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## $NaKe PiMp (May 19, 2011)

:twisted:


CrystalMoon said:


> I was living in an area that had dingo cross animals running in packs of up 20 animals at times. Parks and wildlife didn't seem to want to do anything about them(this was15 years ago)they hadnt been sighted in awhile, so I let my 13 year old Son go fishing at the creek 1/2 a k away, it had Quarry trucks driving through it hourly. He was gone about an hour, I had this unexplicable feeling of unease and dread. I jumped in the truck and drove done there only to find him up a tree, as I jumped out I thought I saw a movement. Bill shouted to get back in the truck, there were dogs all around. On having a better look there were dogs under cover everywhere, Paternal instinct took over. I grabbed the stock whip and just bowled on in there like a whip cracking Banshee(lol)there were dogs going everywhere, I was lucky I suppose..cause these dogs had stopped many people from walking/using the area because they were not timid, Bill said they had even tried to get him out of the tree. Size difference? no at 13 he was my height. Manner? he was used to hunting in the bush from even in the womb lol so he was not easily intimidated.... I put it down to Me not backing away and being obviously more aggressive than they wished to tangle with.......in short I probably bluffed them with the whip cracking and my manner....


 


you carry a whip with you at all times?? ohhhhhhhhhhhhh k ,do you use it to dicipline the mischievous :twisted:


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## CrystalMoon (May 19, 2011)

$NaKe PiMp said:


> :twisted:
> 
> 
> 
> you carry a whip with you at all times?? ohhhhhhhhhhhhh k ,do you use it to dicipline the mischievous :twisted:


You would have to be mischievious to find out..........(I've spent my time in a lot of wild places)


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## fugawi (May 19, 2011)

Crystal......Not Paternal(male), but Maternal(female).......I know.......I'm pathetic

I've seen and personally tested this. Sharks, no matter what size, will swim away if you swim directly at them. They will circle for a while then attack from behind. If you turn with them and start to swim toward them , they will stop the attack and turn. I've seen this tested on Great Whites until it became too difficult to keep an eye on 3 of them circling. I have done this off Manly beach at night with a 3 metre Tiger with the same results.


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## Waterrat (May 19, 2011)

Standing ground and making oneself bigger certainly works when encountered by a cassowary. .... from a number of personal experiences.


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## fugawi (May 19, 2011)

I'll take the Great White over an angry Cassowary anytime.


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## CrystalMoon (May 19, 2011)

fugawi said:


> Crystal......Not Paternal(male), but Maternal(female).......I know.......I'm pathetic
> 
> I've seen and personally tested this. Sharks, no matter what size, will swim away if you swim directly at them. They will circle for a while then attack from behind. If you turn with them and start to swim toward them , they will stop the attack and turn. I've seen this tested on Great Whites until it became too difficult to keep an eye on 3 of them circling. I have done this off Manly beach at night with a 3 metre Tiger with the same results.



Dohhhhhhhh I thought it meant both LOL(my bad, I need to be reschooled lol)


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## fugawi (May 19, 2011)

That is 7 more "likes" Crystal.lol


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## CrystalMoon (May 19, 2011)

fugawi said:


> That is 7 more "likes" Crystal.lol


well I would "dislike"to be dethroned........(sounds painful yet interesting)


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## fugawi (May 19, 2011)

Thaaaaats 8


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## CrystalMoon (May 19, 2011)

fugawi said:


> Thaaaaats 8


I cannnnnnntttttttttt hhheeelllllppppppp ittttttt ROFL(quote from bugs life LOL)


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## Jackrabbit (May 19, 2011)

CrystalMoon said:


> I was living in an area that had dingo cross animals running in packs of up 20 animals at times. Parks and wildlife didn't seem to want to do anything about them(this was15 years ago)they hadnt been sighted in awhile, so I let my 13 year old Son go fishing at the creek 1/2 a k away, it had Quarry trucks driving through it hourly. He was gone about an hour, I had this unexplicable feeling of unease and dread. I jumped in the truck and drove done there only to find him up a tree, as I jumped out I thought I saw a movement. Bill shouted to get back in the truck, there were dogs all around. On having a better look there were dogs under cover everywhere, Paternal instinct took over. I grabbed the stock whip and just bowled on in there like a whip cracking Banshee(lol)there were dogs going everywhere, I was lucky I suppose..cause these dogs had stopped many people from walking/using the area because they were not timid, Bill said they had even tried to get him out of the tree. Size difference? no at 13 he was my height. Manner? he was used to hunting in the bush from even in the womb lol so he was not easily intimidated.... I put it down to Me not backing away and being obviously more aggressive than they wished to tangle with.......in short I probably bluffed them with the whip cracking and my manner....



I agree size doesn't fix everything. clearly they felty they outnumbered your son and so still tried to take him on even though he was bigger than each individually.

Animals are not stupid. they probably would have waited until he tried to come down or fell out of the tree before attacking. when you showed up with your whip they felt it better leave well enough alone than fight against something they might not have come across before.

how many docos have we seen with lions attacking in packs to bring down a larger prey. done by wearing down the animal. The same would have happened to your son if he couldn't get in a tree and no other help came along.

A Komodo dragon follows its prey for weeks until it's bite takes effect rather than risk getting hurt going for the kill now.


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