manadas

Manadas is the plural of manada in Spanish, referring to a group of animals that move and live together. The term is used in zoology, agriculture, and everyday speech to describe both domesticated herds and wild animal groups. A manada typically shows cohesion, with members moving as a unit for foraging, migration, defense, or social interaction.

Social structure and size vary by species. Some manadas have stable hierarchies or matriarchs; others are less organized. Group size can range from a few individuals to hundreds, depending on species and resources. The term is commonly applied to ungulates such as cattle, sheep, horses, deer, and elephants, as well as to predators such as wolves and, less often, other carnivores.

Examples include: manada de lobos (wolf pack), manada de elefantes (elephant herd), manada de caballos (horse herd), manada de ciervos (deer herd). In farming, manada also denotes a managed herd of livestock kept together for breeding or grazing, such as a manada de ganado.

Geographically, the term is widespread in Spanish-speaking countries and is the standard expression in Spain and many Latin American nations for these groups.

Outside zoology, "La Manada" has appeared as a proper noun, most notably referring to a group of five men involved in a high-profile 2016 sexual assault case in Spain; the case drew extensive media coverage and legal decisions. The plural "manadas" can thus refer to multiple animal groups or multiple groups known by the nickname.