The concept of a herd is used to refer to a group of animals of the same species that move together . The term is usually used with respect to specimens in the wild or wild state .
When gathering in herds, animals adopt different behavior than they usually do individually. The specimens act differently towards the rest of the members and also towards the other species. In certain cases, there are even decisions that are made as a group.
According to ethologists, the pack provides several advantages to its members. On the one hand, it favors access to food since it makes hunting or searching easier . On the other hand, a herd has more resources to defend itself from the action of predators compared to the tools available to each animal independently.
Wolves usually organize themselves into highly complex packs. In these groups there is an alpha female and an alpha male who establish themselves as leaders and who impose their authority in a hierarchical manner.
Wolf packs generally have up to six members. However, cases have been recorded with more than twenty individuals. Specialists believe that this group organization provides greater reproductive success and helps participants obtain larger prey.
Unlike the way humans live, animal herds often limit sexual reproduction depending on available resources and other factors. In some cases, only the highest-ranking members mate. We must not forget that for them each decision can make the difference between life and death, since they have not been organized in a society full of comforts: a simple wound can become infected and cause the loss of a leg, making an individual detrimental to your group.
And at this point another of the characteristics of packs comes in that is difficult for us human beings to understand: if one member represents a danger to the rest, it is common for them to separate and abandon them, or for them to step aside. This may seem contrary to the supposed survival instinct , which people often talk a lot about, but animals with more responsibilities know when their time has come and do not fear death .
It is fascinating to observe the degree of dedication exhibited by the alphas , the leaders of the packs, who usually behave in a way that we would call "serious", always thoughtful, with a weight that others cannot understand. In fact, when the time comes to "pass on the crown", many have already prepared their potential successors if they are part of their own pack and have noticed that they met the necessary conditions.
In Spain , finally, an act of sexual abuse that took place in the city of Pamplona in 2016 is known as "The Case of La Manada." During the San Fermín festivities, five Sevillian men who were part of a WhatsApp group called La Manada abused an 18-year-old girl. The five subjects were convicted, although they were released on bail.
This rape case was commented on all over the world thanks to its dissemination through social networks along with video recordings and statements from the victim herself. As expected, not everyone was in favor of the victim and the issue of animal torture, the DNA of the San Fermín festivities, was also mixed in public opinion. Among the rapists was a member of the Military Emergency Unit and a civil guard.