Any parent knows about the problems of bringing up a child, and for animals it is no different. How do you protect your infant from daily hazards, care for it in a busy schedule, and help it survive thevulnerable years to achieve independence? How does an infant learn the skills it will need for life? From creches of bats to elephant babysitters, from chimpanzee games to protective lacebugs, nature's answers are as varied as those in human societies.

Kill or die. Flee or perish. Such life and death duels are fought daily in the wild. Every conceivable trick is used by hunter and hunted - traps and lures, warnings and deception, ambush and camouflage. An orchid turns out to be a predatory flower mantis. Caterpillars look like snakes. In Patagonia, killer whales ambush sea-lions in the surf. These desperate battles between assassins and their victims have sharpened the skills of both in the art of pursuit and evasion.