KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Snakes have long been thought to be loners when it comes to securing a meal, but scientists from the University of Tennessee made a surprising discovery that might prove otherwise. In a new study of Cuban boas, researchers determined the snakes actually coordinate hunts together in order to capture more prey.
Very few of the world’s 3,650 species of snakes had been observed in hunting in the wild prior to the study, according to lead researcher Vladimir Dinets, a research assistant professor of psychology at the university. But Dinets and his team traveled to Cuba to observe the eating habits of the country’s largest native terrestrial predator in some of the nation’s bat caves. Cuba’s massive ancient caves, such as the Cuevas de Bellamar, have long been attractions for visitors.
For the Cuban boa, the caves are ideal spots to catch prey because of the many bat colonies found living inside them. The researchers found that instead of going on individual hunts for bats, the Cuban boas actually participate in attacks together. When the bats leave the cave at night and return at dawn, Dinets discovered that the boas gather at the entrance to the caves and hang from the ceilings — literally snatching the bats in their mouths as they fly in.
But what really struck Dinets in terms of the study was the way in which the boas would work together to secure their meals. The snakes would actually coordinate their positions in a way that when they’d hang down, they’d almost form a “wall” of sorts, ensuring a greater success rate for capturing bats and making it nearly impossible for the winged creatures to escape.
The researchers observed that the more boas participating, the less time it took for each to find a meal. Conversely, when a boa attempted to catch a bat solo, the accomplishment was significantly more difficult.
Though the finding is an exciting one for scientists, Dinets points to the fact that little is known about hunting rituals among snakes because just a handful of species have been observed by researchers.
“It is possible that coordinated hunting is not uncommon among snakes, but it will take a lot of very patient field research to find out,” Dinets says in a university press release.
As for the Cuban boa, seeking out the snake was no easy task for the researchers. The team says that the snakes are frequently poached by hunters in the country and are now only found in the most remote caves. Dinets warns that if the population dwindles, the boas won’t be able to hunt together and thus could die off if capturing the bats becomes more difficult.
The study’s findings were published open-access in the journal Animal Behavior and Cognition.
I think the conclusions drawn in this study are suspect to say the least. Wouldn’t a simpler and more likely explanation for the snakes’ behavior be that snakes, like most living things, learn where the food is and how best to catch it, rather than assuming their behavior is coordinated in any way? For instance, bears hunting salmon in the rivers of the Northwest US all gather at the same time to feed; but there is no indication that they are “coordinating” the hunt. Indeed the bears get extremely antagonistic when another bear encroaches on their spot.
I had the same thought. They are jumping to conclusions here. But, anything for click bait.
You mean…. all those bears concentrated in one area aren’t supporting each other by driving the salmon into the clutches of another bear? Sigh… science is flawed!
Not intentionally, no. It is simply opportunity, location and circumstance. Not like they have a little powwow and draw up plans. They benefit from the circumstance, they don’t create it. And often science IS flawed. Evidence often doesn’t point to a clear cause and effect.
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Richard writes : “Not intentionally, no. It is simply opportunity, location and circumstance. Not like they have a little powwow and draw up plans. ”
To the contrary, the daily science publication The Far Side illustrated a number of these occurrences. The most notable was the coordinating of spiders to catch a child where they conversed that if they pulled it off they would “eat like kings”. I’ve been far more wary of spiders ever since.
Sorry. I should have read your comment earlier. I made the exact same analogy. GMTA. :o)
Had the same thought when reading the article. It’s nice to see that so many others are also thinking these things through even if reporters and ‘scientists’ are not.
Are you a coordinator denier? 😀
I read a scientific study that showed how clouds coordinate to block the sun from people they don’t like.
This is similar to a study done by Richard Adams who conclusively proved that clouds will follow some people around out of respect and worship.
This is not news to anyone who’s ever read the classic American novel, “THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN”, by Samuel Langhorn Clemens, a.k.a., “Mark Twain”.
It’s how the runaway slave, Jim, came to be bitten by a rattlesnake after Huck had killed its mate.
News to me.
These scientists would be much more well learned if they had read Huck Finn! Could have saved lots of $$. Wonder how long they studied these snakes hanging from the cave ceilings as they caught bats…. 2, 3 minutes? Probably studying bat guano and hurriedly ran past the snakes – then decided to write about the snakes… who’s interested in bat guano?
Copperheads, a species of poisonous snake endemic to the Southern US, mate for life and hunt together. When you find one copperhead the mate is not far off, usually within 10 feet.
Sea snakes have killed several thousand people in Utah.
LOL, was that a government funded grant? Sea snakes in Utah? : )
Yes, I saw about 30 babies suckling to their momma copperhead once too, she was so gentle with them.
Yeah, yeah, yeah…… Birds of a feather flock together, but it does not imply that they have intelligence for a coordinated effort. By the way, I just read up on Copperheads, and no they do not mate for life. Wherever did you get that silly notion? Vipers are solitary animals who only gather together when it is time to hibernate for a period of time.
If you’ve ever been to the rural areas, of which I live in, and spend time in the woods or areas where Copperheads thrive you’ll notice that most of the time you’ll find what “Grammar Nazi” says is true. From my anecdotal experience over the past 40+ years mating age Copperheads do seem to travel in pairs, whereas other species tend to hunt on their own. For example, it’s rare to find a Black Rat snake (aka king snake) traveling with another of the same species unless it is near hibernation season and travel to a winter den. Although you may see a king snake near another snake species, hunting it, as king snakes derive their name from eating other species of snakes. Making them the “king” of the snakes.
See? Even the snakes are communist in Cuba!
Your tax money – being well spent!
This was a university study, not a government one. At least it wasn’t spent on a cultural center with safe spaces and play-doh.
Oh so it was paid for by football game revenues? Suuuuure
More likely state sales taxes. I didn’t say it was money well spent, but anything is better than wasting it on a “cultural center”, which is all the rage these days.
Aren’t the snakes worried about catching the rabies?
Or AIDS?
Anecdotal at best and does not prove snakes have anything close to a communicative effort. Do those researchers, (of psychology yet), really believe snakes can communicate, except through pheromones at breeding time. What a stretch by an unwitting moron. Next thing you know, rabbits will be planning another plague on Australia.
Americans need to stop thinking of college professor as the height of intelligence. They are just as fallible and human as the rest of us, so I give this article a thumbs down for trying to give the impression that these idiots have discovered something new and interesting. NOT !!!
Professors are just students that did not have enough ambition to leave school and do something ,after graduation .
“The snakes would actually coordinate their positions in a way that when they’d hang down, they’d almost form a “wall” of sorts, ensuring a greater success rate for capturing bats and making it nearly impossible for the winged creatures to escape.”
Or…It could be the snakes all found themselves a good feeding spot and were simply situating themselves in positions just far enough away from each other, that they wouldn’t trigger other snakes’ territorial aggression response, leading researchers to make a possibly erroneous “conclusion,” about snakes “coordinating their hunts.”
Hillary Clinton was the test study”
snakes attract snakes”
And coordinated too. Civil War forward Democrats have given us slavery, partial citizenship, KKK, Eugenics, Jim Crow, abortion, civil unrest. 47% support them, why?
I read the headline and thought the story was about leftists.
I love drudgereport but these “studies” are so whack. I’m done clicking on them.
You’ll miss out on all these opportunities for humor though!
That just shows you Franklin and Waters can work together.
I’m guessing Bob Corker brought this pork in a CR back to UT.
So Frankin and Warren can work together.