Antelope are hunted by both crocodiles and lions. When antelope bend down to drink water, they are vulnerable to lions on land and crocodiles in the water. The lions hide in the grass and ambush them, while crocodiles hide in the water and ambush them.

Question

Which environmental change would cause the crocodiles to lose the competition for food?

Wildifire

Monsoon

Drought

Flood

Answer 1

A drought would likely cause the crocodiles to lose the competition for food. During a drought, water levels in rivers and lakes would decrease, leading to a more limited habitat for crocodiles. This would make it harder for them to effectively ambush antelope that come to drink, as there would be less water available for hiding. In contrast, lions would still be able to hunt on land, as they do not rely on water bodies for ambush tactics. Thus, the competition dynamics would shift in favor of the lions.