Wild dogs vote by sneezing to start a hunt
These endangered predators operate as a collective biological machine, using group huddles as a living thermostat and nasal exhalations to tally votes before a chase.
African wild dogs survive the savanna by functioning less like a collection of individuals and more like a single, distributed organism. When the pack settles down to sleep, they form tight, writhing piles to regulate their body temperature. Biologists have recorded temperature differences of several degrees Celsius between the chilled outer fur of the perimeter dogs and the warm inner core of the group. By rotating positions throughout the night, the pack creates a communal insulation blanket that protects the most vulnerable members from the cold wind and the watchful eyes of nocturnal predators.