Nine animals that are masters at tricking the other species around them

There are other aspects of the animal kingdom than power, speed, and keen teeth. Being a good liar is often the only talent necessary for survival.Nature is full of skilled con artists, from spiders that fill the air with false promises to birds that deceive others into raising their young. Despite their seeming cruelty, these tactics are the result of evolution. Trickery ensures the survival of the next generation, saves energy, and enhances survival.The saying "fake it 'til you make it" may be familiar to you. However, this statement was used by the master mimics of our natural world long before it became a common self-help cliche. Animals and insects have developed clever strategies to live by mimicking the noises, appearances, or behaviors of other species in their environment, whether it's to elude predators or attract prey.

This American native wild cat was found to use "psychological cunning" to lure prey. It was discovered that the tree ocelot, also called the margay, was mimicking the call of a young pied tamarin monkey. Yes, you read correctly. This untamed feline mimics a monkey. In a clever move to draw in adult monkeys grazing nearby, researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society and UFAM (Federal University of Amazonas) in Brazil saw a tree ocelot mimic the squeal of the newborn monkeys.The tree ocelot uses this type of "aggressive" mimicry, or imitation,2 in an attempt to capture adult monkeys within striking distance. Sadly, as experts have noted, the fictitious squeals in this case were unsuccessful. Adult monkeys in the area were drawn to the phony calls, but the trick was soon discovered. Then, before the cat could jump, the pied tamarin monkeys alerted the others to go. I wish you luck.