Herbivores all have horns, so why don’t carnivores have horns?

This is a very interesting question. Animal horns are a product of the differentiation of the epidermis and dermis of the head, and their structure is horny. Among today's terrestrial animals (mainly large mammals), herbivores tend to have horns, such as sheep, deer, rhinos, etc., while carnivores do not have horns. Real horns:

In most people’s minds, horns are powerful defensive weapons that can cause terrible damage to predators. But the truth is not true. The main functions of the horns of most horned herbivores today are for display (showoff) and intraspecific competition. The horns of many animals do not even have a defensive function, such as giraffes. The ancestors of most herbivores (early mammals) did not have horns. Horns appeared during a long period of evolution and gradually evolved into the diversity they have today. The appearance of horns is an advantage for males. This advantage can ensure that they can find a mate more easily or win in battles with other males, so the horned gene is passed down from generation to generation. It is precisely because of their important role in intraspecific fights that sheep, deer, and antelopes have all evolved horns that are either bent, backward, or to both sides. The angles of these horns are more conducive to fighting between similar species. The horns fight together instead of attacking the invading predator. Another point is display. For many horned herbivores, the horns are the most dazzling business cards, so the horns have become larger and more complex. The famous giant-antlered deer (also called Irish elk) is the pinnacle example. .

Caption: The spectacular antlers of a stag

Caption: The horns of an antelope

Caption: A bison fighting with its horns

p>

Illustration: The big-horned deer has pushed the size of its antlers to the peak. Antlers used for defense:

Of course, the antlers are not only used for display and intraspecific competition, but can also be used for defense. However, it should be clear that when faced with danger, herbivores will first choose to escape instead of fighting with their horns. Even those herbivores that are dominant in size within their living range will still run away when they encounter predators, such as the American bison in North America when they encounter wolves. Escape is not cowardice. Escape is to exchange for one's own safety with minimal consumption and minimal danger. Of course, horns are also weapons against predators, but only when they are forced to do so and have no way out. In fact, using corner defense is not to kill the opponent, but more often to gain an opportunity to escape. Here is a talk about how herbivores with horns on both sides use their horns for defense. Many people think that horns on both sides are ineffective. Then you must not have seen a Spanish bullfight or an African buffalo using their horns to lift a lion into the air. The horns on both sides of the head are Not only will the defense not be weakened, but it can also protect both sides of the head from being easily attacked. In addition, let’s talk about the disadvantages of having horns on the nose (such as rhino) or on the top of the head (such as longhorned antelope): it blocks the line of sight, limits the posture of the head, limits the range of attacks, etc.

Picture Note: Wildebeest on the African savannah, the first choice when facing danger is to run away

Picture Note: The strong African buffalo, its big horns are very dangerous

Caption: North American bison besieged by wolves

Caption: Rhinos have poor eyesight. Why don’t carnivores have horns?

The largest among mammals today Eating meat, without exception, does not result in a smooth head. At the same time, the unique characteristics include fangs in the mouth, strong limbs with hooks and claws (except for dogs and hyenas). The hook is to prevent the prey from escaping, so it must use the hook to grab the prey tightly, and then use the fangs in the mouth to kill the prey. Canids and hyenas let their prey run, using their endurance to pursue them until they capture them. For carnivores, efficiency is very important. Unlike herbivores, who have a free lunch when they lower their heads, carnivores can only obtain food through high-intensity hunting, so their structure is to build themselves into an efficient killing machine. , get the maximum return with the minimum effort. Under this requirement, horns become cumbersome, flashy, ineffective, and waste a lot of energy.

The seemingly powerful horns cannot hold the prey firmly, nor can they accurately and continuously attack the key and weak parts of the prey. The functionality is too poor. This is the reason why large carnivores among mammals do not grow horns, because they are not easy to use and they are afraid of losing money.

Illustration: Teeth are the most important weapons of carnivores

Illustration: The powerful forelimbs of tigers can quickly subdue prey

Illustration: With large cats Compared with other animals, the advantage of wolves is endurance

The appearance of the horns of various long-horned herbivores may be accidental, but the retention and evolution of horns are the result of natural selection. Their existence is reasonable. On the other hand, carnivores may have had horns in the long history of evolution, but they were quickly eliminated because they were not suitable for survival. Finally, to sum up, the most fundamental motivation for growing horns is not whether it is suitable for attack and defense, nor whether it is suitable for showing off and fighting. The fundamental motivation is whether this structure can allow the individual who possesses it to obtain more and pass on the genes. Chance.