Optimal foraging model

The optimal foraging model is a scientific theory that explains how animals choose what to eat to maximize their energy or nutritional gain while minimizing effort and risk. It predicts that animals will focus on the most rewarding food sources that require the least effort to obtain, balancing the cost of searching and handling food with the benefit of calories or nutrients gained. This helps explain foraging behaviors observed in nature, revealing that animals make strategic decisions to increase their survival and reproductive success through efficient resource use.