Publications
Partners
Stockholm - South Africa is not only home to the 2010 World Cup finals but its many game parks offer an opportunity to compare the upcoming participants in the tournament to predators and prey.
Stockholm daily Dagens Nyheter on Friday listed all the teams and compared them with some of the animals and reptiles common to southern Africa.
Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Italy and Spain were dubbed the "Big Five" - a reference to a term used by big-game hunters of the most difficult animals to hunt on foot - suggesting these teams were favourites.
Brazil was compared to a lion that needs "organization and cooperation to achieve results," the daily said, citing an expert at the Swedish museum of natural history.
Argentina was likened to a Cape buffalo - "a powerhouse that not many (carnivores) dare take on. The lion is its worst enemy" while Germany was equated to an elephant "the heaviest and most experienced of them all, but can also show feelings. Fears no one."
Spain was a leopard that "moves smoothly and elegantly in a beautiful coat. Competes with the lion, but sneaks more" while Italy was a rhino that "shuffles along at its own pace and becomes more alert near evening. Goes its own way."
The paper also included other categories of predators and prey that are both hard or easy to catch.
Host country South Africa was like a zebra "funny with its stripes, but an easy prey," Nigeria was like an eagle "that glides until it is time to strike," England was a crocodile "big and heavy, but fast on land - likes water and can take on most of what comes up close" while France was like a hippo, "one of the biggest, looks listless and peaceful but can be extremely dangerous."
Other predators included the Netherlands - like a hyena - "good hunters, outstanding when they work as a team. Eats mostly prey that are knocked out or dead", Ivory Coast were like African wild dogs that "live off smaller prey that they tire and bite to death", Ghana was like a baboon "that has a hierarchic behaviour. Strong canine teeth are its best weapon, can go far", while Portugal "relies on speed but also sneaks on (its prey)" like a cheetah.
