29 Examples of Animals that Travel in Packs (A to Z List with Pictures)

Animals that travel in packs include wild dogs, wolves, alligators, ants, caribou, and crows.

Packs of animals are not just for wolves and coyotes. Composed of any number of different species, these packs can be found all over the world.

We will take a look at some of the most interesting animal groups that travel in packs.

Examples of Animals that Travel in Packs

Packs of animals are typically associated with predators like wolves and lions. But there are plenty of other animals that travel in packs, including some surprising ones.

Here is a list of the most interesting pack-traveling animals.

1. African Wild Dogs

The African wild dog is a species of canid native to Sub-Saharan Africa. They are known for their heightened level of social behavior and complex communication system with one another.

These dogs were once common throughout most of the continent, but they have been reduced to just several populations in southern and eastern Africa due to habitat loss, disease outbreaks such as rabies, and human persecution.

2. American Alligator

One common example of pack animals is alligators. During the day, these creatures live in burrows dug into swamps and marshes, but at night they emerge to hunt for food.

Although it’s not known how many gators make up a typical group or hierarchy of gators, some scientists believe that there is one dominant male with several subordinate males, as well as a number of females.

This dominant male is responsible for defending the group’s territory and leading the hunt.

3. Army Ants

One of the most impressive groups of pack-living animals is army ants. These creatures can travel for miles in search of food, and their colonies can be made up of millions of individuals.

What’s even more amazing is that each ant knows its role in the colony and works together to achieve common goals. For example, the soldiers will protect the colony from predators, while others are responsible for laying down trails that will guide other ants to food.

4. Caribou

Caribou are some of the most famous pack animals on earth. These creatures live in herds that can stretch up to several hundred individuals.

Caribou tend to have a very complex social hierarchy, which is decided by age and gender. Mature bulls usually lead their own herd while mature females assist each other with rearing new calves during the long winter.

5. Chimpanzees

Chimpanzees are perhaps one of the most well-known pack animals. They live in tightly-knit groups with a clear hierarchy, and each chimpanzee has a specific role within the group.

For example, there is the alpha male who is the leader of the pack, as well as the beta males and females who help to maintain order. Chimpanzees use vocalizations to communicate, and this is especially true when the group changes locations.

If they are traveling through another chimpanzee’s territory, there may be a conflict with other groups of chimpanzees that live in the area.

6. Crows

These birds are incredibly intelligent and have a very complex social hierarchy. They often travel in groups of around 30 individuals and use vocalizations and gestures to communicate with each other.

Crows are also very resourceful and will work together to steal food from humans or other animals.

7. Deer

These gentle creatures have a very strong social hierarchy, with the lead buck having complete control over the herd.

The other members of the herd are typically females and their young. One of the adaptations deer have developed thanks to their group living is an incredible sense of smell.

8. Dolphins

These marine mammals travel in pods of up to several hundred individuals and use their complex social hierarchy to communicate and hunt.

Dolphins have a number of adaptations that help them thrive in packs, including echolocation, which allows them to communicate underwater and track prey.

9. Elephants

Elephants are one of the most fascinating groups in the animal kingdom. These large mammals travel together and have a complex social hierarchy that is dependent on where they live.

There are three different types of elephants based on their location: forest, savannah, and desert elephants. Forest elephants live in Central Africa and each group has between 20-100 individuals.

They are smaller than their savannah and desert counterparts but they have more complex social relationships that extend beyond just the mother-offspring connection.

10. Emperor Penguins

The Emperor Penguin is the largest species of penguin in existence, standing at an average height of four feet.

Their blue-white feathers blend in perfectly with their icy habitat and they are easy to spot when they gather together on land for brief periods during mating season or molting seasons.

‘When these birds lay eggs, both parents take turns incubating them. In the meantime, they live off of their stored fat and they don’t eat anything for as long as three months!

11. Giraffes

These beautiful creatures are the tallest animals on Earth, with a record-breaking height of 21 feet. Despite their large size and intimidating looks, giraffes have a quite peaceful temperament that is only enforced by their herds.

Giraffe herds consist of anywhere from two to up to thirty individuals who all share similar genetics.

Some scientists believe this happens in order to better protect the herd from predators.

12. Gorillas

These huge creatures live in groups of up to 30 individuals, led by a dominant male. The gorillas work together to protect their territory from other animals and to find food.

They use vocalizations to communicate with each other and even have unique gestures that can only be understood by members of their group.

13. Guinea Baboon

The guinea baboon is a pack-living animal found in Africa. These primates have a very complex social hierarchy, with each individual having a specific role within the group.

The alpha male is responsible for defending the group from predators and maintaining order, while the females take care of the young. This close-knit society allows the guinea baboons to travel and forage together, making them more successful than if they were to live alone.

14. Honeybees

Honeybees travel in colonies that can number in the tens of thousands.

The social order of a honeybee colony is incredibly complex, with a strict division of labor based on age and role within the hive.

Honeybees are also incredible adaptors, able to survive in a range of climates and with a range of diets.

15. Jellyfish

Jellyfish are some of the most fascinating creatures in the ocean. These animals have a complex social hierarchy and can often be found traveling in packs.

One of the key adaptations that jellyfish have developed as a result of their pack living is their ability to sting their prey en masse.

16. Lions

As social predators, lions live in groups called pride. A pride is typically made up of around 15 lions but can range in size from two to more than 30 individuals.

The males are the dominant members of the pride and work together to protect their territory and hunting grounds from other predators. The females do the majority of the hunting, as well as caring for the young.

17. Meerkat

Meerkats live in the deserts of Africa and spend their days foraging for food. What makes meerkats so interesting is their complex social hierarchy.

The alpha male and female are at the top of the totem pole, with all other members of the group deferring to them.

They are also one of the few animals that can stand on their hind legs to get a better view of their surroundings.

18. Monarch Butterflies

Monarch butterflies are one of the most iconic species that travel in packs. These insects migrate up to thousands of kilometers every year, flying south for winter and north again when summer returns.

While they usually stay within their breeding range throughout the entire season, some monarchs will venture out during migration to look for better food sources or try new habitats.

19. Orcas

These apex predators are found in all of the world’s oceans and can be up to 30 feet long. They are extremely social animals and live in pods of between two and thirty individuals.

Each pod has a complex social hierarchy, with a dominant male and female at the top. Orcas are extremely efficient hunters and can take down prey much larger than themselves.

20. Parrots

Parrots are some of the most intelligent and social birds in the world. They live in large flocks which can include hundreds or even thousands of individuals.

These groups not only help to protect these beautiful creatures from predators but also provide many other benefits such as division of labor and more efficient foraging behavior.

21. Prairie Dogs

These little rodents live in a town of up to 100 individuals and have a very complex social hierarchy. The dominant males and females are called “alphas” and they are responsible for defending the territory, caring for the young, and feeding the rest of the colony.

22. Raccoons

Although they may look more like bandits than animals, raccoons are actually amazing examples of pack-living creatures.

Raccoon groups consist of a mother and her young kits who live together in the same den until the babies age out and leave to start their own families.

These mothers will often stay with one another after their children leave so that they can keep each other safe.

23. Rats

One of the most famous pack-living animals is the rat. Rats are incredibly adaptable creatures and can thrive in a wide variety of environments.

They live in colonies that have a complex social hierarchy, with a dominant male and female at the top. The rats in these colonies work together to find food and shelter and protect their territory from other rats.

24. Red Fox

The Red Fox is without a doubt the most cunning member of the pack. They are adept hunters, but their other talents include excellent hearing and smell as well as sharp night vision.

The foxes also have an interesting vocalization that they use to communicate with each other including warnings about predators.

25. Sea Otters

One of the most iconic animals in this category is definitely the sea otter. They are incredibly social creatures and live their entire lives in groups made up entirely of family members.

These groups can be as small as a pair or reach sizes well over 10 individuals at times. Female sea otters will give birth to litters that have anywhere from one to three offspring and the young will stay with their mothers until they are about a year old.

26. Spotted Hyenas

Spotted Hyenas are some of the most successful hunters in their environment. They are not only able to kill animals that are much larger than themselves but also work together with each other to take down prey faster and more efficiently.

The Spotted Hyena hunts alone at night when it’s cooler outside for its meal, while during the day, it rests in the heat with other hyenas.

The Spotted Hyena is very social and lives in a matriarchal society where females are dominant over males.

27. Wildebeests

Wildebeests are found in Africa and travel in large herds, sometimes numbering in the thousands.

The wildebeests have a very complex social hierarchy, with a dominant male at the head of the herd and various sub-groups within the herd.

28. Wolves

Wolves are perhaps the most well-known pack animals, and for good reason.

They are incredibly social creatures that have a complex hierarchy within their packs. The alpha wolf is the leader of the pack and is responsible for making decisions regarding food, territory, and breeding.

The beta wolf is second in command and helps the alpha with decision-making.

29. Zebra

These striped creatures live in herds, which can range from a few individuals to several hundred. The group provides protection for each other from predators and also helps to find food and water.

Garreth

Hi, I’m Garreth. Living in South Africa I’ve had the pleasure of seeing most of these animals up close and personal. When I was younger I always wanted to be a game ranger but unfortunately, life happens and now at least I get to write about them and tell you my experiences.