Coyotes combine with badger to hunt

Coyotes and the badger frequently cooperate to maximize their chances of snatching a meal. Both are cunning carnivores, so it seems to reason that they would be adversaries or at the very least stay away from one another given how frequently they hunt the same prey on the same plains. Coyotes and badgers have a long-standing agreement that demonstrates why it may be advantageous for enemies to cooperate.

Each hunter in the group possesses a unique set of abilities. Coyotes are adept at pursuing prey over a wide grassland because of their agility and quickness. Badgers have evolved to hunt tiny animals in underground tunnel networks, thus they are slower and less agile runners than coyotes, but they are superior diggers. The badger keeps the targeted prey from hiding in its tunnels while the coyote delivers the speed and may pursue prey that is running.

Despite the link between coyotes and badgers seems to be improbable, it benefits both species. Thus, when badgers and coyotes cooperate, they combine these abilities to hunt more successfully than each could do on its own. Coyotes pursue prey above ground, while badgers take over for underground chases.