What does the word ‘heartily’ mean in this passage? Why is eating heartily important for large predators? _
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Based on the question provided, here is a correct answer and detailed explanation.
Answer
In this context, the word ‘heartily’ means to eat a very large amount of food with great appetite and enthusiasm. Eating heartily is crucial for large predators because their survival depends on maximizing energy intake from infrequent meals to endure long periods without food.
Explanation
The term ‘heartily’ in this context describes the act of eating with immense vigor and consuming a substantial quantity of food. For a large predator, a successful hunt is not a daily occurrence; these animals often live in a ‘feast or famine’ cycle, potentially going for days or even weeks between meals. Therefore, when they do make a kill, it is a critical opportunity to gorge themselves. They eat heartily, consuming as much of the carcass as possible in a single sitting to make the most of the rare bounty. This behavior is a fundamental survival adaptation, shaped by the inherent uncertainty of their food supply and the intense energy requirements of their lifestyle.
This feasting behavior is vital for survival. Firstly, large predators expend incredible amounts of energy. The process of stalking, chasing, and overpowering large prey is physically exhausting and requires a massive calorie intake to fuel. A single hearty meal must not only replenish this spent energy but also provide a significant surplus. This surplus energy is stored as fat, serving as a crucial reserve to sustain the predator during the inevitable lean periods until the next successful hunt. Without these fat reserves, the animal would quickly weaken, making it less effective at hunting and more vulnerable to injury, disease, or starvation.
Furthermore, the natural world is a highly competitive environment. Once a predator makes a kill, the scent of the carcass travels far and quickly attracts a host of competitors and scavengers, such as hyenas, jackals, or even other predators from the same species. By eating heartily, which means both quickly and in large volumes, the predator maximizes its own consumption before its hard-earned meal can be challenged or stolen. This ensures that the energy invested in the dangerous hunt yields the highest possible nutritional return. In essence, eating heartily is a direct and necessary response to the combined pressures of an unpredictable food source, high energy demands, and intense competition.
