Driving through the Londolozi Reserve, watching herds of impala, wildebeest, giraffe, and zebra, it becomes clear that their lives are a constant balancing act between feeding, socializing, and avoiding the ever-present threat of predators. Their eyes and ears are constantly scanning for danger, always alert to the possibility of a stalking leopard or the sudden rush of a lion. This daily reality places prey animals in a permanent state of vigilance, where fear and anxiety play a crucial role in survival.

Observing their behaviours, especially during changing weather patterns like wind and rain, reveals just how much environmental factors exacerbate these feelings. During windy days, when their hearing and sense of smell are dulled, impalas and wildebeest become noticeably more skittish. Giraffes seem to stay closer to thickets, and zebras react nervously to even slight movements. It’s as if, when their natural senses are compromised, they feel exposed, vulnerable, and anxious. But how exactly do these animals experience fear and anxiety? And how does it differ from the human experience of these emotions?

Life on High Alert: The Prey Perspective

For prey species at Londolozi, fear is a natural and necessary part of their existence. Unlike humans, who experience fear as a range of emotions—anticipation, dread, worry—animals experience it as a direct response to stimuli, a physiological reaction designed to maximize survival. For impalas, wildebeest, and other herbivores, fear is triggered by the presence or scent of a predator, the sound of an unusual noise, or a shift in the wind.

According to the psychological models discussed in Fear and Anxiety: Animal Models and Human Cognitive Psychophysiology by Peter J. Lang, Michael Davis, and Arne Öhman, the fear response in both humans and animals is tied to the brain’s threat-detection systems, particularly the amygdala, which processes danger signals and prepares the body for immediate action. When a threat is perceived, their bodies undergo a series of rapid changes, much like humans experiencing a “fight or flight” response:

• Increased Heart Rate: When danger is detected, their heart rate spikes, delivering oxygen-rich blood to muscles for rapid movement.
• Sharp Focus: Eyes become more alert, scanning for the source of danger, while their muscles are ready for a quick reaction, whether it’s fleeing or freezing in place.
• Hormonal Surge: Stress hormones like adrenaline flood their system, boosting their physical capabilities to run at high speed or evade predators.

These physiological responses ensure that prey animals are always ready to react swiftly to any sign of danger. Unlike human beings, who may think about fear-inducing experiences for hours or days, prey species react purely at the moment, with survival as their only concern.

The Role of Weather in Heightening Fear

The weather plays a crucial role in how prey species experience fear and anxiety. On calm days, when their senses of hearing and smell are sharp, animals like impalas and zebras appear more relaxed. They graze with their heads down, often in open areas, using their heightened senses to detect threats from far away.

But during windy or rainy weather, everything changes. The wind can scatter scents, making it harder for them to smell approaching predators. It also rustles leaves and grasses, masking the sounds of a predator’s approach. In these conditions, prey animals become far more anxious. They tend to cluster together in groups, often hiding in denser thickets where they feel more secure but also more confined.

I have also noticed that animals are noticeably more skittish around vehicles on windy days. The usual trust they exhibit around safari vehicles seems to waver, and they become more reactive, darting away at the slightest disturbance. This heightened anxiety is a clear sign that prey species feel vulnerable when one of their key senses—hearing or smell—is dulled by weather conditions.

Fear Versus Anxiety: The Cognitive Differences

The distinction between fear and anxiety in animals, as outlined by Lang, Davis, and Öhman, is an important one. Fear is the immediate response to a specific threat—like a lion stalking its prey—while anxiety refers to the anticipation of potential threats that may not be immediately present. In prey animals, fear is a direct, survival-driven reaction, while anxiety may manifest as a more generalized state of heightened vigilance.

In humans, cognitive processes heavily influence both fear and anxiety. Humans can reflect on past experiences, anticipate future dangers, and develop complex emotional responses to threats—real or imagined. This ability to think beyond the present moment makes human anxiety more complex and often persistent than animal anxiety.

Prey animals, on the other hand, live in the present. When an impala senses a predator, its response is driven purely by instinct. There is no deliberation, no worrying about what might happen in the next few hours or days. The impala’s fear is immediate and entirely focused on the present moment, and once the threat is gone, the fear dissipates.

In this way, animal fear is almost purer then human fear—it lacks the layers of cognition that we add to our emotional responses. While we might stay anxious long after a frightening event, animals quickly return to a state of calm once the danger has passed. Their fear serves only one purpose: to help them survive the immediate threat.

What Do Animals Feel in the Grip of Fear?

The physiological experience of fear in animals is intense, but fleeting. During those moments when an impala senses a predator or a zebra spots a lion lurking in the tall grass, their bodies are flooded with stress hormones, and their senses are heightened. They may freeze in place, listening intently for the next sound, or they may take off in a flash, sprinting to safety.

Interestingly, animals do not appear to hold on to this fear in the same way humans might. After the danger has passed, they can resume their normal behaviour relatively quickly. This rapid shift from fear to calm is key to their survival. If an animal were to remain anxious for hours or days after every predator sighting, it would be too distracted to feed, care for its young, or rest properly.

A Life on Edge

In the wild, fear and anxiety are not just abstract concepts but are essential to the daily survival of prey species. These emotions keep animals vigilant, helping them evade predators and stay alive. However, constant anxiety would be harmful, which is why they remain present, returning to calm once the danger has passed. This contrasts with us humans, who often dwell in a state of heightened anxiety, even when the threat has gone, and we worry about the future. Animals live on the edge, using fear as a survival tool without letting it dominate their existence—offering us a valuable lesson in balance- letting fear protect us, but not to the extent that it controls and consumes us.