How is the feeding strategy of the Western Rat Snake best described?
Answer
Opportunistic generalism layered upon age-specific specialization
The feeding approach of the Western Rat Snake demonstrates a nuanced strategy incorporating flexibility across different life stages. The 'age-specific specialization' refers to the clear shift from eating small, slow prey (juveniles) to consuming large mammals (adults). The 'opportunistic generalism' describes their overall behavior: they maximize the use of whatever resource is locally abundant and capture-able, meaning the exact composition of the diet varies significantly between a snake in a North Carolina park and one in a Texas field. They are skilled at shifting their primary focus based on immediate environmental opportunity.
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