packhunting

Pack hunting is a cooperative predation strategy in which multiple hunters coordinate to pursue and capture prey that is more difficult or dangerous for a single hunter. It is observed most clearly among social carnivores such as wolves (Canis lupus) and African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus), but similar tactics occur in other taxa, including some big cats, cetaceans, and birds.

Coordination is achieved through communication and social structure. Hunters may recruit others with vocal signals, visual cues, or scent marking; individuals assume roles such as chasers, blockers, or ambushers. Tactics include pursuing prey in extended chases, flanking to encircle, or driving prey into ambush sites. Pack size influences efficiency and risk; larger packs can tackle bigger prey but incur higher energy costs and injury risk.

Ecological and evolutionary consequences: pack hunting can increase prey capture rates and allow predation on species or individuals that would escape solitary hunters, shaping prey populations and predator–prey dynamics. It also drives social bond formation, learning, and division of labor within groups. Energetic costs are shared, but competition over food can occur within the group.

Examples span continents: wolves; African wild dogs; lions; spotted hyenas; dholes; and some cetaceans such as dolphins and orcas. In primates, chimpanzees engage in group hunts on certain monkey species. These examples illustrate a wide range of social systems and prey types.