Safety in numbers
A herd of baboons hunts for food at the edge of a grassy plain in
Africa. Each baboon is looking and listening every second. There might
be a lion creeping through the grass toward them!
If a baboon sees or hears something, it gives a loud grunt. It sounds
almost like a man yelling “Hah!” Then all the baboons hurry to climb
trees. Because of one baboon’s warning, all the baboons are safe.
Some animals live together in herds. They are safer that way. An animal
by itself may not see or hear the enemy that creeps toward it. But if
there are many animals together, there are many more chances that one
animal will see or smell danger and warn the others.
Baboons
When the musk oxen are in a
circle, wolves don’t dare attack.
Herds of baboons, zebras, antelopes, and deer run when they are warned
of danger. But sometimes a whole herd of animals will fight an enemy.
When big, shaggy musk oxen in Canada are attacked by wolves, the musk
oxen quickly get into a circle with the babies on the inside. The musk
oxen stand with their big heads down. Their sharp horns point out at the
wolves. The wolves snarl and growl but they don’t dare attack. As long
as the musk oxen stay in their circle the whole herd is safe.
Sometimes one animal by itself isn’t as safe as it is in a herd. There’s
safety in numbers!
