Buchmann talks predators

The Science Abroad Series started Sept. 7, with Associate Professor of Physical and Life Sciences Ann Buchmann’s lecture titled “Stealth, Speed, and Support, Strategies of Predators and Prey in East Africa.”
Buchmann spoke about her time spent in Tanzania, specifically Oldupai Gorge, where Louis and Mary Leakey made important discoveries about ancient human life.

Additionally, Buchmann spent time in the Serengeti. Her experiences there dominated the majority of her lecture.

Because she extensively photographed her experiences, she had many different pictures of animals such as lions and cheetahs, and prey, such as zebras and buffalo, to supplement her lecture.

The majority of the professor’s lecture focused on the predators of Africa. The main predators in Africa are big cats: lions, cheetahs, and leopards. Buchmann explained that big cats rely much on their stealth.

Lions blend in with their surroundings during the day, using their fur as natural camouflage. Leopards hunt at night, under the cover of darkness, letting their prey get within inches before attacking. The faster cats, cheetahs, rely on their speed to kill their prey.

Buchmann briefly focused on prey in Africa. She showed pictures of zebras, antelope, and African buffalo.
Buchmann talked briefly on how much buffalo fascinate her. They are a very family oriented species, Buchmann said. When one member of a herd is in trouble, the whole herd comes to help.

Buchmann demonstrated this tactic with a YouTube video. When lions caught a baby buffalo, hundreds came back and chased the lion away.

The next lecture will be “After the Earthquake: Treating Patients in Haiti” by Twila Fickel on Sept. 23.