wildabeests behavior

Question

Herd behavior benefits wildebeests by(1 point)

1. helping individuals find mates.
2. decreasing the chance of spreading disease.
3. increasing the number of resources available.
4. allowing altruistic behavior.

Answer 1

We can start the answer for this one with a process of elimination.

2 can't be right because herding behavior almost certainly increases the chances of spreading diseases. For 3, having more individuals in a group results in greater competition and therefore fewer resources so we can eliminate that one as well.

Then the choice is between 1 & 4. You could make an argument for 4 but it seems a bit vague regarding the specific benefits of altruistic behavior. I'd argue that altruistic behavior is more of a consequence than a cause of sociality/herding.

Choice 1 is a common explanation for sociality in animals. In species that don't live in social groups searching for mates can be very costly in terms of time and energy and exposure to predators. It's much easier to find a mate when many individuals are living in proximity. Because reproduction is such a critical part of the life cycle I believe 1 is the best answer.