Biochemical and physiological observations in meerkats (Suricata suricatta) at two zoos during a dietary transition to a diet designed for insectivores
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20230.abs This research (involving two separate institutions) assessed the serum chemistries and body weights of meerkats (Suricata suricatta) over a 6–10-week feeding trial to determine the acceptability of a commercially available manufactured diet intended for the feeding of insectivorous animals. Five animals at two zoos were heavier than desired and otherwise healthy at the […]
Ontogeny of playful contact in a social mongoose, the Meerkat, Suricata suricatta
Playful contact interaction within a captive family of six meerkats was observed using a rotating focal animal observation method over a 5-month period. Ten interaction patterns are described. The mother interacted playfully with her family members at a low rate while the father and young initeracted together far more than with the mother. The parents […]
No evidence for adaptive sex ratio variation in the cooperatively breeding meerkat, Suricata suricatta
Where a maternal trait influences the fitness of sons or daughters, mothers would be expected to bias the sex ratio towards the sex whose fitness they are more able to increment. In many polygynous species, maternal characteristics affect the fitness of sons more than that of daughters, but, in meerkats, variance in female reproductive success […]
Meerkat helpers increase sentinel behaviour and bipedal vigilance in the presence of pups
Helpers in cooperatively breeding species may assist in a number of cooperative activities, such as nest building, incubating, babysitting and feeding of offspring. In addition, individuals may engage in sentinel behaviour and other forms of vigilance, which benefits other group members not only by reducing the risk of predation, but also by allowing them to […]
Factors predicting the frequency, likelihood and duration of allonursing in the cooperatively breeding meerkat
Allolactation, the nursing of another female’s offspring, occurs most commonly where several females raise young simultaneously in the same nest, but also occurs in singular breeders where nonbreeders also lactate for the offspring of dominant females. In this study, we investigated the factors predicting the frequency of allonursing in meerkats, Suricata suricatta, whether or not […]
Mean fecal glucocorticoid metabolites are associated with vigilance, whereas immediate cortisol levels better reflect acute anti-predator responses in meerkats
Adrenal hormones likely affect anti-predator behavior in animals. With experimental field studies, we first investigated associations between mean fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGC) excretion and vigilance and with behavioral responses to alarm call playbacks in free-ranging meerkats (Suricata suricatta). We then tested how vigilance and behavioral responses to alarm call playbacks were affected in individuals administered […]