title: African wild dogs test the 'survival of the fittest' paradigm.
abstract: Charles Darwin first used the term 'survival of the fittest' in the 5th edition of The origin of species. A literal interpretation implies that predators will selectively prey upon the weakest members of a population. We demonstrate that this is true for African wild dogs hunting impala.
authors.affiliation: Macaulay Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK.
authors.forename: Alistair
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pole
authors.forename: Iain J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Martyn L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Gorman
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002335:Carnivora / Q000502:physiology*; D005523:Food Supply; D008954:Models, Biological; D012641:Selection, Genetic