Last updated on February 5th, 2022
In the animal kingdom, you will find the ones that hunt and ones that are hunted, which we usually divide into predators and prey.
But a wildlife photographer friend of mine shed some unique insight into the animal kingdom. He told me that predators are single hunters and pack hunters.
Contrary to popular notions, predators are not just excellent hunters, but they also have excellent coordination when they hunt in packs.
Additionally, he mentioned that when animals hunt in packs, the unique thing is that they isolate their prey with unprecedented coordination.
He told me that these made for one of the best photography. Hearing from him about animals that hunt in packs got me thinking about the ability of certain animals.
Some of the animals that hunt in packs and which make them some of the apex predators of the animal kingdom are as follows:
Here are 8 animals that hunt in packs:
- Wolves
- African Wild Dogs
- Sharks
- Orcas
- Hyenas
- Alligators
- Electric Eels
- Vultures
List of animals that hunt in packs:
1. Wolves
Wolves are known to have complex social dynamics and are loyal pack members. Additionally, these creatures have a hierarchy that they follow strictly.
While hunting, wolves tend to stay in packs and coordinate the hunt. Wolves are territorial, and they hunt only in their designated territory.
When they hunt their prey, the first thing that the pack will do is stalk and isolate its prey. These creatures are known to hunt preys that are larger than their size.
They can isolate their prey from their packs with complete coordination and they will also chase their prey down, even if it tries to flee.
Research shows that a wolf can chase prey even at a speed of thirty-five miles per hour. After that, they hunt their prey down.
2. African Wild Dogs
African wild dogs are among the most dangerous predators of South Africa and the Southern part of East Africa.
These creatures can hunt and bring down preys twice the size of individual African wild dogs.
The African wild dogs can be pretty formidable hunters; they can chase down prey like antelopes and wildebeests.
African wild dogs can move in packs of sizes ten to forty. These creatures are also known for their excellent coordination while hunting.
For example, if they find a wildebeest injured and identify it as suitable prey, a pack of African wild dogs can chase it and bring it down.
Once the prey is brought down, the flesh is shared among all pack members.
Some might eat more than others because there is always one in every group who chews faster.
3. Sharks
Sharks are one of the apex predators of the sea and ocean and some species of sharks are known to hunt in packs.
For example, the Grey Reef shark and Whitetip reef shark hunt in packs with excellent coordination. However, how these sharks hunt their prey is different from land animals.
These sharks will hunt in packs only when they find that the prey is too large, and they need to make a coordinated attack to bring down the prey.
The objective of these sharks will be to bring down the prey together. However, these sharks do not share their prey. The first one to catch the prey will consume it.
4. Orcas
Orcas are known to be one of the ocean’s most dangerous predators. The orcas hunt in pods, and these pods can consist of nearly forty members.
Orcas are also known for their highly coordinated attacks and bringing down larger prey.
Furthermore, orcas are known as killer whales because they can chase their prey and use different techniques to bring down the catch.
They can hunt creatures like fishes, squid, sea birds, and even Minke whales. Orcas can also work together when they hunt sea creatures like a school of fish.
With the help of a coordinated attack, the orcas can isolate a school of fish before its members can consume these.
5. Hyenas
Hyenas are known to live in social groups called clans. They are scavengers, but these creatures are also known to be excellent hunters. Their clans consist of members ranging from ten to a hundred.
A unique feature of these creatures is that they can hunt creatures twice their size.
In a pack of spotted hyenas, you will find that the females are larger and more aggressive. They can quickly isolate a prey from their pack and bring it down.
Hyenas are also known to be territorial. They will hunt only within their territory.
They are quick to identify the prey that can be easily hunted and bring it down with excellent coordination.
6. Alligators
Alligators are social creatures, and they can hunt in groups or congregations. The primary objective of alligators to hunt in a group is to bring down prey that will be larger than itself.
When you see alligators hunting in a group, you will find that the creatures will first try to isolate the prey.
The alligator can identify suitable prey with an excellent ability to hunt creatures found in water and on land.
Once the prey has been isolated, the alligators will hunt and bring it down. Being social by nature alligators share the prey, once it is brought down among all group members.
7. Electric Eels
Electric eels hunt in packs similar to that of sharks and orcas.
The electric eel is known to swim up and from the river bottom and attack its prey with nearly eight hundred and sixty volts of electricity.
The electric eels can hunt preys that are larger than their size and you will find that a group of electric eels can bring down fish as big as a tuna.
Although electric eels are fishes, they are carnivores and can swiftly consume their prey.
When coordinating an attack, they break off into smaller groups to bring down their prey. Once their prey is brought down, the food is shared among all group members.
The food is shared among the members of the smaller groups and the primary one.
8. Vultures
Vultures like other raptors always live in groups or flocks. A flock of vultures is known as a “kettle” when these birds are in flight and a “wake” when consuming prey.
While these birds live and roost together, they are also excellent hunters.
Vultures are primarily scavengers, and they usually look for dead and decomposing bodies of animals to fulfill their nutritional requirement.
However, they are also excellent hunters and can identify suitable prey from a great height.
Research shows that vultures do not hunt creatures like eagles or hawks. Instead, when they identify a prey about to die, they will circle above it.
Once the prey dies, the vultures will swoop down and consume it.
