Animal Groups PDF

Source!1: Animal Groups Many animal species live in groups, either with their families or in larger groups forming a community. Some types of animal groups include herds, colonies, flocks, and prides. These animal groups can have complex systems where leaders gain control and act as a chief of the g...

Source!1: Animal Groups Many animal species live in groups, either with their families or in larger groups forming a community. Some types of animal groups include herds, colonies, flocks, and prides. These animal groups can have complex systems where leaders gain control and act as a chief of the group. The leader will make decisions for the group. Lions are an example of animals that have a leader. Other times, the animals don’t have a clear leader. They live in communities formed by family units. An example of animals that live in larger communal groups is penguins. By living in a group, animals can share food, offer protection from predators, and care for their young together.
Some animals hunt in groups. By hunting in groups, the animals can gather more food that can be shared among the individuals in the group. That can mean simply gathering more of a small item, but sometimes it means hunting large prey. For instance, a pride of lions could work together to hunt a giraffe. The giraffe will feed numerous lions, but a single lion probably wouldn’t be able to hunt a large animal like a giraffe by itself.
Protection against predators is another reason animals live in groups. More individuals in the group means there are more eyes to keep watch. If a predator approaches, the animals can work together to defend each other or confuse their attacker. For example, zebras live in groups. When an enemy advances, the zebras scatter. All the movement, combined with the stripes, confuses the predator, leaving the zebras safe from harm.
Caring for babies also makes group living a smart option for many animals. For animal mothers it can be difficult to care for newborns, gather food, and keep watch for predators. The other members of the group can help care for the babies while the mother gathers food or keeps watch. Elephant mothers take turns watching the babies while the other mothers rest and eat. Without the extra rest and nutrition, the mothers may not have enough milk for their babies to drink, which would put their babies in danger of malnutrition.
Living in groups is an adaptation that helps animals survive. By hunting, protecting and caring for newborns as a group, animals can get the food, rest, and safety they need. #$!%&'()*!+,-.!