The pack that votes on when to hunt by sneezing
This pack holds a real vote before every hunt, and they cast their votes by sneezing.
Which one is REALLY true about the African Wild Dog?
The short version
African wild dogs gather in an excited rally before hunting, and researchers found the sneezes in that rally act as votes. The more sneezes, the more likely the pack moves off. A rally started by a dominant dog needs only about three sneezes; one started by a low-ranking dog needs at least ten.
Why it's so weird
- ✓The African Wild Dog piles into a noisy greeting rally before every hunt, and the sneezes inside that rally work like votes.
- ✓The African Wild Dog only needs about three sneezes to set off when a dominant dog starts the rally.
- ✓The African Wild Dog needs at least ten sneezes before the pack moves when a low-ranking dog starts the rally instead.
- ✓The African Wild Dog succeeds on more than eighty percent of its hunts, a far better strike rate than lions.
- ✓The African Wild Dog is also called the painted wolf, and no two of them wear the same blotchy coat pattern.
You could line up about 1 of them along a 7-year-old!
The full story
A pack of African wild dogs decides when to hunt by holding a vote, and they cast their votes by sneezing. Meet the painted wolf, one of the most successful predators on the planet, taking down prey on more than eighty percent of its hunts, far better than lions. Before setting off, the pack piles together in an excited greeting rally, and researchers noticed something strange buried in the noise. The dogs sneeze. The more sneezes, the more likely the group is to move off and hunt. If a dominant dog starts the rally, only about three sneezes are needed. If a low-ranking dog starts it, the pack needs at least ten. It is a genuine quorum, a wild democracy running on sneezes. Follow for more weird animal facts.
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“The African Wild Dog piles into a noisy greeting rally before every hunt, and the sneezes inside that rally work like votes.”
“The African Wild Dog sits perfectly still on the riverbed with its jaws held wide open instead of chasing anything down.”
“The African Wild Dog only needs about three sneezes to set off when a dominant dog starts the rally.”