Do any snakes hunt in packs? The deadly way one serpent forms a terrifying ‘fence’ to catch and kill their prey

Do any snakes hunt in packs? The deadly way one serpent forms a terrifying ‘fence’ to catch and kill their prey

Science writer Stuart Blackman analyses hunting strategies of the slithery kind. 

Magazine gift subscriptions - from just £14.99 every 6 issues. Christmas cheer delivered all year!
Published: January 11, 2025 at 4:20 pm

Snakes aren’t the most sociable of animals, and when it comes to finding prey they are more lone wolves than pack hunters.

Do any snakes hunt in packs?

But there could be one exception. Cuban boas hunt bats as they fly through the narrow entrances of their roosting caves. The snakes seek out positions where other snakes are already stationed, creating a ‘fence’ of predators that more effectively blocks the flightpaths of their quarry.

It’s a pretty rudimentary form of group hunting, and there is no evidence of communication between individuals, but research has found that snakes that team up enjoy triple the hunting success of those working alone.

This website is owned and published by Our Media Ltd. www.ourmedia.co.uk
© Our Media 2024