Wild Democracy

Next month, Americans will cast their ballots for the next president of the United States. While voting might seem like an activity that is unique to humans, scientists have learned that it’s not! Several species of animals make decisions by majority agreement. A majority is a value that’s greater than half of the total. Check out these critters that have a wild way of voting!  

Americans will vote to decide the next president of the United States next month. You might think voting is something only humans do. Scientists have learned that’s not the case! Several species of animals make decisions based on how many members of a group agree. Check out these wild ways of voting!  

Marta Manser studies how animals, like meerkats, make sounds to communicate with each other. Meerkats live in groups, called mobs, of up to 30 animals. They “talk” by making yelping sounds known as calls. “When following a group closely, it becomes easy to hear their many different call types,” says Manser. 

Manser says meerkat voting works like this: One meerkat starts making calls while looking for food. If two or more respond with the same call, those meerkats start moving to a new location. If the rest of the group supports the decision, the mob follows the calling members and moves to a new feeding patch.

Meerkats live in groups called mobs. A mob can have up to 30 animals. Meerkats make yelping sounds to “talk.” These sounds are known as calls. “It’s easy to hear many different call types when you closely follow a group,” says Manser.

Manser describes how meerkat voting works. One meerkat starts making calls while looking for food. Two or more meerkats might respond with the same call. Those meerkats then start moving to a new location. The whole mob follows the calling members if the rest of the group supports the decision. All of the meerkats move to a new place to feed.

Scientist Meg Crofoot was curious about how monkeys make decisions. So she studied a group of baboons in Kenya. Crofoot fitted every baboon in the group with a tracking collar. She noticed that different baboons led the group around. Sometimes two leaders disagreed on where to go. Each one would move in a different direction.

If the difference was small, the group took a middle path. But if the difference was large, the group voted. Each baboon moved to the leader it agreed with. The leader with the most supporters won! Then the group headed in the direction the winner wanted to go.

Scientist Meg Crofoot was curious about how monkeys make decisions. So she studied a group of baboons in Kenya. Crofoot fitted every baboon in the group with a tracking collar. She noticed that different baboons led the group around. Sometimes two leaders disagreed on where to go. Each one would move in a different direction.

The group took a middle path if the difference was small. But the group voted if the difference was large. Each baboon moved to the leader it agreed with. The leader with the most supporters won! Then the group headed in the direction the winner wanted to go.

One day, scientists Andrew King and Neil Jordan were swapping ideas based on their observations about how some animal groups make decisions. Jordan said he suspected African wild dogs use “sneezes” to vote on when to hunt. “We laughed, but we decided to investigate,” King says. 

They found that when the dogs are resting, one or more of the dogs will sneeze. Once the majority of dogs in the pack start sneezing, they begin a hunt. But when the pack leader wants to hunt, the pack requires fewer sneezes to make the decision.

One day, scientists Andrew King and Neil Jordan were discussing ideas. They had observed how some animal groups made decisions. Jordan suspected African wild dogs use “sneezes” to vote on when to hunt. “We laughed. But we decided to investigate,” King says.

They found that one or more of the dogs will sneeze while the group is resting. The dogs begin a hunt when most of the dogs in the pack start sneezing. The decision requires fewer sneezes when the pack leader wants to hunt.

When Thomas Seeley was 9 years old, he watched a swarm of honeybees move into a walnut tree near his home. Now Seeley studies how swarms like that one decide where to move.

“The key was to prepare swarms of honeybees in which all 5,000 bees were labeled,” Seeley says. This allowed him to monitor scout bees as they looked for the swarm’s new home.

He found that a scout bee suggests a new site by performing a dance. The better the spot, the more the bee dances. Other bees in the hive show their support by joining in the dance. Once a majority of bees support the move, the hive relocates.

Thomas Seeley was 9 years old. He watched a swarm of honeybees move into a walnut tree near his home. Now Seeley studies how honeybee swarms decide where to move.

“The key was to prepare swarms of honeybees. All 5,000 bees in the swarms were labeled,” Seeley says. This allowed him to track scout bees as they looked for the swarm’s new home.

He found that a scout bee dances to suggest a new site. The better the spot, the more the bee dances. Other bees in the hive join in the dance to show their support. The hive moves when most of the bees support the decision.