ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Collective animal behavior

Collective animal behavior is when groups of animals work together in a coordinated way to do something. This could be something like migrating to a new home, finding food, or avoiding danger. Just like how when you play with your friends, you might all work together to build a sandcastle or play a game, animals can work together too.

Some animals, like ants, bees, and termites, are famous for their collective behavior. They live in large groups and work together to build structures, find food, and take care of their young. They communicate with each other using chemicals or physical cues, like touching or dancing.

Other animals, like birds, fish, and mammals, also exhibit collective behavior. You might have seen flocks of birds flying together or schools of fish swimming in unison. These animals coordinate their movements so that they can move in the same direction without bumping into each other.

Scientists study collective animal behavior to learn more about how animals interact with each other and their environment. They also try to understand how these behaviors have evolved over time and how they might be useful for us humans to learn from.

Overall, collective animal behavior is a fascinating topic that helps us learn more about the natural world and the ways that animals work together to survive and thrive.