Dr. Ted Stankowich

Why do some species have them and others don't?

So females can battle over territory themselves, which is not that common.

Or they are found in larger, more exposed species where they are more at risk of being cornered by a predator.

So females can definitely use their horns to defend themselves for sure.

They're usually smaller, straighter, more dagger-like compared to the males.

But they are definitely useful as a defensive weapon.

So the menu is interesting.

If you're looking evolutionarily in terms of mammals, the options are spines, stinky sprays, stinky glands on your body that you can release.

Armored plates, claws, teeth, antlers, horns, toxins.

Some have toxins and poisons that they can use.

That's what's helpful for defense.

If you are cornered, if you are attacked, that's what you can use.

But most animals are cryptic.

They are camouflaged.

They want to avoid being seen at the start.

That's the first line of defense.

Just avoid being seen entirely.

So coloration is a really big one.

And then rapid speed.

So most of the things that live in that sort of intermediate body sized, open, exposed habitat area, a lot of your armored, quilled animals live in that area.