What is Gait?
A gait is the pattern of limb movement an animal uses to move. It describes the sequence and timing of how the legs touch the ground and lift off during locomotion.
Common quadruped gaits are walk, trot, pace, canter, gallop.
The Horse In Motion by Muybridge 1878
What is Stride?
a stride is defined as one full cycle of motion, beginning when a foot touches the ground and ending when that same foot returns tot he same position.
Protraction and Retraction
Forward and backward movement of a limb relative to the body.
Protraction
Protraction means moving a limb forward. During locomotion, this happens in the swing phase when the leg lifts from the ground and moves in front of the body for the next ground contact.
Retraction
Retraction means moving a limb backward.This happens mainly during the stance phase when the foot is on the ground and the body moves forward over it.
Protraction in Red – Retraction in blue
This is one of the central ideas in ecology about how animals choose movement and feeding behaviours to maximize energy gain and minimize energy cost.
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Predicts how animals decide when and where to search for food.
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Balances the energy gained from food against the energy spent searching for it.
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Used to explain why some animals travel far for high-calorie food while others stick to small, predictable areas.
This theory has been applied to many species — from insects to mammals to birds.