We’ve all been mesmerised by the intricate displays of animal collectives; the synchronised skydance of thousands of starlings as they swirl across the sky in ‘murmuration’, or a shimmering school of fish darting in unison along the uneven edges of a reef. In these natural displays, every individual seems to be reading their neighbours’ next move, connected in a way we as humans can’t quite fathom.
These stunning displays of animal social networks allude to a hidden intelligence, one that is woven from the intricate network of social ties that unites them rather than existing within any single individual.
Recent research from the University of Konstanz in Germany provides insight into the workings of these networks and the information they can uncover. The synchronised actions of animal groups have fascinated scientists for a long time. How do collectives move so precisely together that they appear to be one cohesive organism?
According to the research conducted in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour, the invisible architecture of animal social networks may be the reason for these mesmerising displays. No single animal is responsible for processing new information coming from the environment, rather the entire group can process information through these invisible connections.
Revealing the hidden architecture of social groups
In the past, studies concentrated on how certain animals interpret sensory data from their surroundings, including noises, sights, and smells. However, the Konstanz study suggests a radical change in viewpoint. According to principal researcher Iain Couzin, “When you form groups, you suddenly have a network system where social interactions exist, and we wondered whether this invisible architecture was in fact contributing to how groups can respond to changes in the environment.”
A single bird’s brain does not retain all of the information. The flock’s social network allows information regarding the direction and strength of the wind to spread, enabling everyone to instantly react and modify their flight pattern. The same goes for the fish avoiding predators; the intelligence of the collective school allows all fish to change direction, even if they cannot see the threat themselves.
Strength in numbers
The Konstanz research team also discovered that an important factor in the collective intelligence of animal groups is the structure of these social networks. Groups with a wider range of connections, where information flows across numerous channels, exhibit greater flexibility and resilience. Essentially, there is greater strength in numbers when the social network functions as one.
“These findings suggest that a diverse social network, where information can flow through multiple pathways, is crucial for a group’s ability to respond effectively to changing environmental conditions,” says Couzin. Their research also showed that the proximity of animals within the group helps with decision-making.
“Making each individual more sensitive to risk can lead to an excessive number of false alarms propagating through the group,” explains Couzin. “On the other hand, strengthening social connections allows individuals to amplify information about risk, but buffers against the system becoming overly sensitive.”
The lessons learned from researching animal social networks are profound. Understanding how this information flows and how decision-making takes place in complex systems can have applications in other domains, such as urban planning and crowd control to robotics and artificial intelligence (AI). As soon as we are able to properly understand this very particular intelligence, we will be able to apply it for our benefit in these ways.
It is possible that if we applied the above findings to our understanding of human social groups there may be some interesting points to consider and new and wider perspectives to gain.
Ethical research on animals
The University of Konstanz’s research emphasises the value of morally-sound animal experiments in expanding our knowledge of the world. CAEP is adamant that the highest ethical standards be followed in any and all animal interactions, whether they are for scientific or any other purpose. The welfare of animals should always come first.
CAEP does not work with laboratories, we work in partnership with ethical animal welfare organisations to improve the lives of these animals and the environments in which they live by introducing high-quality, natural plant compounds and minerals to their diets. We make their living areas more stimulating and reflective of their natural habitat, and design and implement bespoke enrichment strategies to ensure we are doing everything possible to enrich their lives.
We can create more exciting environments and natural social interactions for these animals by taking into account the significance of social networks in animal behaviour. In South Africa, we collaborate to advance social enrichment initiatives for animals living in captivity.
In addition to enhancing their quality of life, social enrichment will help captive animals live a more natural life. Stress levels are reduced and natural behaviours are more prevalent when animals live within social groups, with the obvious exception of naturally solitary animals such as most wild cats. Naturally reducing stress levels in this way leads to a decrease in problematic behaviour issues and helps to boost the health and vitality of captive animals.
Although science cannot measure happiness, providing enrichment within captive environments will certainly increase it – we all know the difference between a happy or contented animal and one who is not. We believe that the happiness of animals in captivity should be prioritised alongside their most immediate survival needs, we push the ‘quality of life’ agenda as hard as we can.
Important lessons can be learned from the covert intelligence of animal social networks. Humans can develop a greater understanding of the natural world and the critical role social connections play in survival and adaptation by learning how these interconnected systems work. CAEP is dedicated to creating an environment in the future where animals, both wild and captive, can flourish in rich social settings. Please contact us today if you’d like to donate or get involved in our cause.
