Do they? Over who or what? Does a mouse assert dominance over you, or does it run away?
Plenty of animals will try to look intimidating when threatened or cornered, but that’s just one tactic to not die among many. Most likely, those times stick in your memory longer, and all the animals that just avoid you go completely unnoticed.
The vast majority of animals do not use physical dominance as a mating strategy. Many do of course, but most don’t.
Many use song or dances or colorful displays or gift giving or building to attract mates with no direct confrontation between potential partners at all.
Many species also mate non-selectively, as in any sexually mature opposite sex members of the species that happen across each other when the female is in heat will mate.
And I don’t know if you’re counting insects as animals or not, they are, scientifically, part of the animal kingdom, but maybe you didn’t include them. But if we do include insects, then there are an enormous number of species in which physical competition for mates it’s part of the reproductive strategy at all.
But if you’re talking specifically about large mammals, among whom dominance for mates is pretty common, well it’s a selective pressure, simple as.
Comments
Survival.
The dominant male will have first choice to reproduce with the best female.
It’s also the most powerful animal of the group and will have better chance to fight off intruders.
Do they? Over who or what? Does a mouse assert dominance over you, or does it run away?
Plenty of animals will try to look intimidating when threatened or cornered, but that’s just one tactic to not die among many. Most likely, those times stick in your memory longer, and all the animals that just avoid you go completely unnoticed.
The vast majority of animals do not use physical dominance as a mating strategy. Many do of course, but most don’t.
Many use song or dances or colorful displays or gift giving or building to attract mates with no direct confrontation between potential partners at all.
Many species also mate non-selectively, as in any sexually mature opposite sex members of the species that happen across each other when the female is in heat will mate.
And I don’t know if you’re counting insects as animals or not, they are, scientifically, part of the animal kingdom, but maybe you didn’t include them. But if we do include insects, then there are an enormous number of species in which physical competition for mates it’s part of the reproductive strategy at all.
But if you’re talking specifically about large mammals, among whom dominance for mates is pretty common, well it’s a selective pressure, simple as.