Sheep: democracy at the basis of the choice of leader
A flock of sheep not only has a leader, but organizes itself by choosing one of them to follow. Then they change it in rotation as needed.
The sheep represent the symbol of those who obey the orders of others and follow the leader without asking too many questions. A study shows that flocks of sheep do not have a single leader, but take turns in free democracy at the head of the group .
The study was carried out on mini-flocks observed during the day and at a safe distance. It has been discovered that sheep alternate moments in which they graze with others in which they move in groups in search of other pastures. Each time they move, the group changes leaders. One lead sheep and the others follow in order. The choice of the new boss seems random.
There are practical reasons for this democratic choice . Some examples may be the choice of a meadow never visited by some sheep to show them. Also, knowing that everyone is going to be the boss sooner or later helps avoid conflicts . We need to understand if the rotation of leaders also takes place in large groups and if the presence of males changes something about leadership . Now for the experts there will be more exploration trips ahead of the world of sheep! Meanwhile, this discovery is really interesting and curious…
- The democracy of sheep in the choice of the leader (focus.it)