While many animal societies are ruled by males, a fascinating subset of species operates under female leadership. These matriarchal groups, often led by the oldest and wisest females, are particularly common among mammals, who tend to live longer and have fewer offspring compared to other animal types. A 2020 study in the journal highlights the disproportionate influence females hold on the collective behavior of their groups, solidifying their role as leaders. Female leadership manifests in diverse ways. Species like bonobos and spotted hyenas establish dominance through alliances and coordinated attacks against males. Meanwhile, animals like African savanna elephants and orcas rely on the wisdom and experience of their matriarchs to guide their herds and pods. Here are six captivating examples of animals with female bosses:
African Savanna Elephants
The largest elephant species and the biggest terrestrial animal on Earth, the African savanna elephant ( ) roams sub-Saharan Africa in family units consisting of around 10 females and their young. These family units often join to form ‘clans’ of several hundred elephants, guided by a single female matriarch. This leadership role is typically bestowed upon the oldest and most experienced female in the group. The matriarch holds the reins of decision-making, determining the herd’s movements, responses to threats and crises, and rest locations. She also leads the elephants to food and water, a daunting task considering their daily need for approximately 300 pounds (140 kilograms) of vegetation and 50 gallons (190 liters) of water to sustain their massive size. While the matriarch’s wisdom and authority are undeniable, they don’t necessarily make her an autocrat, as per the nonprofit organization . Other members can offer suggestions and influence the herd’s direction. Conflicts can arise between females, particularly when a matriarch dies, creating a power vacuum. Male African savanna elephants typically interact with female-led herds only during mating season.
Spotted Hyenas
The highly social and intelligent spotted hyena ( ) forms female-led clans that can encompass a diverse range of individuals. Despite being only slightly larger than their male counterparts, female spotted hyenas possess a greater physical strength and potentially wield more power. Females also possess a pseudopenis, an elongated clitoris resembling a penis. This unique anatomy, coupled with the lack of a vaginal opening, means that female hyenas have complete control over their mating partners. When they choose to mate, females retract their pseudopenis to create an opening for male insemination. Female spotted hyenas assert dominance through aggressive behaviors and by forming strong alliances. They receive significantly more social support within their clans than males do, leading to greater influence and control in interactions between the sexes. This disparity stems from the fact that male spotted hyenas leave their natal clans at a young age. The social bonds they form in new clans are weaker than those of females who have grown up together.
Orcas
Known as killer whales, orcas ( ) are apex predators of the ocean. They live in matriarchal societies with distinct pods comprised of a female, her offspring, and her grandchildren. Pods can range from a few individuals to over 20 orcas, according to the . While pods may join together for socialization, hunting, or mating, orcas always return to their natal pods. Survival for orcas depends on the support of their pod members. For instance, killer whales have been observed catching food to feed a pod member missing two fins, emphasizing the importance of their communal bond. However, female orcas carry the weight of providing for their pods. Mothers often bear the burden of hunting for their offspring and guiding them, even at the expense of their own reproductive opportunities. Older females are also essential resources, providing valuable knowledge and experience that enhance their survival. Orcas are one of the few species that go through menopause, allowing older females to dedicate their time to caring for their grandchildren. Research has shown that a grandmother’s care significantly increases her grandkids’ survival, while a grandmother’s death leads to increased mortality in these young ones. The evolution of menopause in killer whale societies ensures no competition for mates between older and younger females.
Bonobos
Bonobos ( ), along with chimpanzees ( ), are our closest living relatives. Bonobos live in large social groups composed of both males and females. Unlike chimp groups, bonobo communities are led by females. Females resolve conflicts peacefully, often through sexual contact. For instance, a female may embrace a victim of a fight and swing her hips from side to side to initiate genital contact. Sexual contact is believed to regulate stress and alleviate tension among bonobos, fostering peaceful cohabitation. Female bonobos disperse to new groups when they reach sexual maturity, while males remain in their natal group. In their new groups, females forge bonds with unrelated, often higher-status, females. They nurture these bonds throughout their lives and utilize them to exert influence over males. By asserting their dominance, female bonobos enhance their reproductive success and deter unwanted sexual advances from males.
Honeybees
Honeybees ( ) are known for their single, adult queen leader. These bees live in massive colonies of tens of thousands of female workers who construct the nest, forage for food, and care for the brood. Workers are sexually underdeveloped and do not lay eggs. Only the queen can reproduce, assisted by hundreds of male drones who join the colony only during late spring and summer. Drones lack stingers, wax glands, and pollen baskets, their sole purpose being to fertilize the queen’s eggs before dying, according to the .
The honeybee queen guarantees the survival of her colony by laying up to 250,000 eggs annually and potentially over a million in her lifetime, according to the University of Delaware. She lives for up to five years, maintaining the colony by producing a pheromone that unifies the hive and gives it a distinct identity, fostering loyalty among her workers. To fulfill her duties, the queen requires constant attention and a steady supply of royal jelly, a nutrient-rich, milky substance produced by female workers. The queen’s egg production is influenced by the amount of food she receives and the availability of wax cells built by her workers.
Ring-tailed Lemurs
Several species, including ring-tailed lemurs ( ), exhibit female leadership. These lemurs live in mixed social groups of males and females, and females often dominate due to the need to prioritize access to food for successful reproduction. Females engage in aggressive behavior toward both males and females during food competition, but their dominance prevails. Female lemurs form strong bonds with males, but the reasons for this remain unclear. Although lemurs are monomorphic, meaning males and females have similar sizes and appearances, males appear to feel threatened by females. High-ranking males, particularly, may avoid antagonistic interactions with hungry females to improve their chances of reproducing.
