A straight-legged jump performed by many species of
bovids upon detecting a predator nearby. Animals such as the
Thompson's gazelle and the
Desert Mule Deer will leap stiff-legged into the air to make themselves noticeable to the predator they have detected.
Several theories have been advanced to explain why this behavior occurs -- some of them predicate this as a selfish behavior, others that it is an altruistic behavior.
The Handicap Principle and the Theory of Honest Signalling are two theories that would indicate this is a selfish behavior. These theories hold that the stotting animal is conveying to the predator that it would be useless to try and catch it -- a waste of time and energy. Go look for someone else. An altruistic explanation is that stotting attracts the predator's attention and diverts it from younger or weaker herd members.