Prey





__WHAT IS A PREY?__
  Prey is any captured organism that is killed by another organism for food to give it energy. Prey is a type of animal that is killed, chased, or suffered by the predator,its enemy.When the Predators eat prey they become more populated, When prey die off from starvation the predators die off because there is nothing to eat in that community or ecosystem.[|2]

= **__What is an example of Prey?__** =

An example of prey would be like in our detective note book with the deer and [|lions] files.the mountain lion is the predator and the deer is the prey because the deer is the one being hunted. The deer is also the prey because it is being attacked, eaten or chased down because it is weaker, less useful, sick, or injured. Another example of a Prey would be a worm being captured by the bird.The worm is then eaten by the bird because it is weaker or not as strong.[1]

= = = __**Do lions hunt only healthy deer?**__ = = = Lions not only hunt healthy deer but they hunt the sick or injured deer to keep the deer population clean of sickness. This keeps the group from being slowed down by the injured deer. This also keeps the ecosystem or community in good condition and healthy for a lot of the animals in the [|ecosystem][1]. The lionesses do most of the hunting for the Pride (which is the whole clan of lions), the males do the hunting for themselves. The lions eat the sick deer so they can maintain the balance of the sick and healthy deer.[|3] __**WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE PREY DOES NOT HAVE A PREDATOR? **__ ==== When the prey does not have a predator the prey population gets over populated and it reaches its carrying capacity. If there is too much of one species then they will eat up all the resources they have for food and will starve and eventually die off. [1] There needs to be enough Prey and Predator to keep the Ecosystem in tact.====

__**Resource:**__ [1 ] Alex Kitzmiller, Detective notebook, Nagel middle School 2008. [2] Bailey, Jill. "predator-prey relationships." //The Facts On File Dictionary of Ecology and the Environment//. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. //Science Online//. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE40&SID=5&iPin= FDEE1609&SingleRecord=True (accessed December 18, 2008. [3] Ashworth, William, and Charles E. Little. "prey." //Encyclopedia of Environmental Studies//, New Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2001. //Science Online//. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE40&SID=5&iPin= envrnstud2543&SingleRecord=True (accessed December 18, 2008). http://www.photographytips.com/images/6leopard-prey-mara.jpg Detective Notebook, "Reference page on Populations" What are limiting factors?"