Updated

Updated · BBC Discover Wildlife · Jun 19

Dwarf Mongooses Change Behavior Across 12 Groups as 270g Carnivores Weigh Rival Numbers

Updated

Updated · BBC Discover Wildlife · Jun 19

Dwarf Mongooses Change Behavior Across 12 Groups as 270g Carnivores Weigh Rival Numbers

Q: How do tiny mongooses run a spy network to count their unseen enemies?

Tiny dwarf mongooses do not literally run a spy network, but the research shows they gather intelligence on unseen rivals through scent, memory and constant risk assessment. The University of Bristol team, using 10 years of observations and GPS data from 12 wild groups in South Africa, found that mongooses track where neighboring groups are likely to be and how strong those groups are. They appear to use indirect clues such as scent marks at shared latrine sites and memories of past encounters, helped by the fact that neighboring group sizes and territories are relatively stable. That lets them make rough judgments about rival numbers even when no enemy is in sight. They then adjust behavior in advance. Sentinels, the animals on lookout duty, call more often when the likely rival is larger, helping coordinate the group under higher threat. Smaller groups also spend less time in the territory of a much larger neighbor. The animals are especially cautious around sleeping sites. The study found they are least likely to sleep in a neighboring group’s territory when the rival is close in size, because evenly matched fights are more likely to become long and costly. About a quarter of clashes occur at burrows, making those decisions particularly important. Researchers describe this as navigating a “landscape of conflict”: mongooses combine location, rival size and past experience to reduce the odds of dangerous encounters and improve their chances if a contest does happen.

2 articles · Updated · BBC Discover Wildlife · Jun 19

Ten years of observations and GPS tracking showed dwarf mongooses change behavior before clashes, adjusting movements and vigilance based on where rival groups are and how large they are.
Across 12 wild groups in South Africa, smaller groups spent less time in a neighbor's territory when that rival was larger, indicating they assess likely odds before encounters happen.
The study also found lookout calls rose when the potential threat came from a bigger group, while groups were less likely to sleep in a neighbor's territory when rivals were closely matched.
Published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, the findings suggest the 270g carnivores make constant pre-emptive decisions to reduce the risk and cost of territorial fights.