Most animals (especially mammals) tend to live in groups. That is why, when you think of a large group of animals, we imagine a herd of wildebeest (much like the popular scene in The Lion King). However, although wildebeest have large herds, they are far from the largest group of animals ever recorded on Earth.
In 2020, ornithologist Noah Strycker came across a group of thousands of chinstrap penguins on an expedition. His research showed that the number of chinstrap penguins was decreasing. However, these birds continue to form one of the largest colonies on Earth, grouping by the millions in some parts of Antarctica. This led the ornithologist to the question: What is the largest group of animals ever recorded on Earth?
As the researcher suggests, birds could win the title to the largest group of animals. In fact, the Red-billed Quelea (a species native to sub-Saharan Africa) is grouped in flocks of several million. For this reason, they are considered the most abundant birds in the world. In addition, as they feed on grass and crops, they are highly hated by farmers and ranchers.
Fish and mammals, also numerous
However, the birds are not the largest group ever found. Some fish, like the Atlantic herring, live in schools that exceed four billion. It is also possible to find herds of more than a million wildebeest in southern Africa, forming large tails that march through the savannah.
Likewise, as the ornithologist maintains, in Texas there is a cave that is home to more than 20 million free-tailed bats, whose tight bodies practically prevent access to human beings.
The desert locust, in swarms of billions
The desert locust is an insect that appears in large numbers sporadically in North Africa, as well as parts of the Middle East and South Asia. Emily Kimathi, a researcher at the International Center for Insect Physiology and Ecology in Kenya, argues that in 2020 the swarms were made up of 200 billion locusts, and that the species can increase up to 20 times its population in a period of three months.
This species needs heat and humidity for the eggs to hatch in the sand. For this reason, the researcher fears that climate change contributes to the reproduction of lobsters, since these conditions are increasingly frequent.
It is impossible to know the answer
The Argentine ant, which was inadvertently introduced to Europe about 100 years ago, forms the largest continuous colony ever known in the world. In fact, this insect can spread underground for more than 6,000 kilometers, forming hundreds of nests around it in which billions of ants are grouped. For this reason, colonies may number billions of ants.
According to Strycker, counting these insects individually is virtually impossible, which is why it is not possible to know exactly which is the largest group of animals ever recorded on the planet. However, perhaps what is really important is to contemplate the abundance of life on Earth, as well as the role that humans play in the extinction of some species.
