Are humans naturally predators or prey? Some animals can be both predator and prey, but are we more of one than the other?

[Answered on Quora.com by Rakibul Islam]

Have you ever seen a child or human child playing?

Almost every human child loves these three games:

Throwing stones
Chasing small animals (cats, dogs)
Hide and seek

These are not random and you can probably see where this is going. Children like to throw stones, because for approximately 98% of our existence as humans, this was our best attack against other animals. Pick up a stone and throw it, we can do it with precision and with considerable force, one of the only animals capable of doing so. A precision-thrown stone can kill a small animal immediately, or else stun a larger one. Several thrown stones will knock down even large animals, predators or prey.

The chase is pretty obvious, you run after something and hopefully catch it. It is a form of direct hunting. Hide and seek is a form of game where you practice chasing your prey and also a way to locate camouflaged or hidden prey. It also helps to find berries or mushrooms or to hide from danger.

All mammalian predators play as young, and their games are evolutionarily adapted to help them lead predatory lives. At least three of the most popular games that human children love are quite predatory in nature.

Clearly a sign of a herbivore, right?