These 4 Animals Depend on Leadership to Survive

From orcas to chimpanzees, these animals elect leadership roles within their group to help keep them safe and search for food.

By Sean Mowbray
Sep 19, 2022 9:00 PMSep 21, 2022 3:15 PM
African elephants
(Credit: Michael Potter11/Shutterstock)

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Leadership in the animal kingdom is often seen as the biggest or the strongest rising over the top of a group and asserting their dominance. But in some species, leadership can depend on different circumstances.

“Leadership really has to do with influencing collective decisions,” says Jennifer Smith, a biologist specialized in animal behavior at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. “Who the leader is varies based on what problem they’re trying to solve. Often, it’s very fluid.”

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