A central area of study at the Zombie Research Society is the undead’s ability to differentiate its living prey from others of its own kind. If they hunt by sight, then walking like a zombie could afford potential victims functional invisibility. If they hunt by smell, then certain anti-odor measures could be employed. But ZRS Researcher, Liz Hope, believes that zombies likely use their sense of touch to find, capture, and devour their prey.
Hope points to the hunting technique of the smallest predator on the planet, the Etruscan Shrew, to support her argument:
“The tiny shrew must eat twice its body weight every day to keep from starving. And the animals it hunts – crickets, cockroaches, and spiders – are often as big as the shrew itself. That means it’s constantly looking for its next meal, and does so using only touch.”
She goes on to explain that the shrew spots potential prey visually, then moves in to feel and confirm. Much like a zombie reaching out for its next meal, the shrew decides what to attack by touching targets with its nose and whiskers. Because it’s widely believed that zombies are cold blooded, and because their imperfect body is dead and rotting, it stands to reason that the undead would have no trouble identifying a warm, soft, living person using the touch method.
Interestingly, this may also explain why zombies are thought to move about in packs. If they gather together to investigate each other through touch, they would then be in a naturally formed group as they move on to seek out humans to eat.
(Note: This article republished by reader request.)
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The body heat certainly attracts them. They would be able to detect loud sounds through vibrations as well. And, yes, the smell is very important.
Zombies would not be able to see very well, if at all, due to the severe decomposition. The eye and ear mechanisms are very fragile and would be the first to go.
The olfactory system is a bit more robust, and you would expect to see a number of zombies who have not yet reached advanced stages of decomposition to still have some of this system intact.
The nervous system, however, is extensive, entwined throughout the entire body. As long as the zombie's brain stem is attached, it is able to communicate with the nervous system and function. The nervous system is what allows them to feel body heat, each other, and vibration. These are core mechanisms of hunting prey for them. This is why you must remove the head, to completely shut down the nervous system. There is no other guaranteed way to ensure the cessation of nervous system function in a zombie.
You know what would be hilarious? Pulling all of a zombie's teeth and watching them try to gum someone to death.
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You know what would be hilarious? Pulling all of a zombie's teeth and watching them try to gum someone to death.
P2
You are cruel and unusual.
In this case, though, it doesn't really count as human rights abuse.
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HOW ZOMBIES HUNT THE LIVING
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