The Trials of Life: Talking to Strangers

 

 

1. Cooperative communication is when it mutually beneficial to both the sender and receiver in terms of fitness gains. An example is the communication between the honeyguide and man. The sender is the honeyguide and the receiver is man. The bird guides man to where bees are and when he retrieves the honey, he can then share some with the honeyguide.
2. Deceitful communication is one where the sender benefits and the receiver loses. An example the communication between a ringed plover and a predator such as man who may be out to steal its eggs. The sender is the ringed plover and the receiver is the predator who may be out to plunder its eggs (Attenborough, 2007). The birds run away from its nest and pretends to be hurt to divert the attention of the predator away from its eggs.
3. An example acoustic or auditory channel is the skylark. The skylark uses the acoustic channel to communicate the primary function of claiming ownership of the ground below. The bird sings for hours using a lot of energy to communicate the message. It is also counterproductive since it risks attracting the attention of its main predator, the merlin. Amazingly, they never stop singing even when they are being chased to communicate that they are fit and the merlin would probably not catch up.
4. An example visual channel of communication is between the gazelle and wild dogs. When the gazelle spots a pack of wild dogs it does not run immediately but starts by well-orchestrated leaps into the air to send a message to the wild dogs they are strong and they will not probably catch up (Attenborough, 2007). The wild dog receives the message and goes for those that do not leap the highest.
5. An example tactile channel of communication that of the hairy molerat. The animal communicates by striking the ground with head in a rhythmical manner to let the others know of its precise position. However, during seasons of mating it becomes antisocial and does not want its tunnel to intersect with another. So it sends a message for the other to back away whenever they do, and if they do not they fight until one dies.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

Attenborough, D. (2007). The Trials of Life ep 10. https://www.veoh.com/watch/v327156Jw4TJdqr