“You Scratch My Back, I´ll Scratch Yours”

Dawkins explains how animals work together as a team in order to benefit from one another. “Each one gains by presenting a smaller surface area to the elements that he would on his own.”(Pg. 166) It is more convenient for a lion to hunt with others rather than trying to do it by herself. Even though the selfish gene would want to do it in her own so that she can eat all of the food, it is safer for her to work with others.

 A clear example of an animal that is always trying to protect the rest of its herd is the buffalo. When they see or hear a predator, the males quickly form a circle around the females while the females make a circle around their babies. This way the strongest of all would be on the domain of danger, making it more difficult for the predators to succeed on their hunt. Most of the times, the animals are looking for the weakest of all so that they don’t have to use so much of their potential energy. Another example of altruism are the penguins. While the females are out gathering food, the males stay with the eggs by huddling together.  These examples demonstrate how some animals aren’t meant to survive as individuals, but to work as a community. 

Symbiosis is the act of animals depending of each other, helping each other survive when conditions are hard. Even though we are not like animals, some of our behaviors are like them. When am walking on the streets with my friends I like walking in the middle since I feel more protected and I have the feeling that am at lower risk of getting mugged. The same happens when we go to the movies, none of my friends want to sit in the corners. In addition, humans tend to help each other in time of danger and we have realized that by working together one will achieve more.