Meerkats' sinister side is secret to their success, study shows
Tuesday, July 22, 2014 - 15:01
in Biology & Nature
The darker side of meerkats -- which sees them prevent their daughters from breeding, and kill their grandchildren -- is explained in a new study. Research into the desert creatures -- which live in groups with a dominant breeding pair and many adult helpers -- shows that the alpha female can flourish when it maintains the sole right to breed. The study shows how this way of life, also found in many animals such as ants and bees, can prove effective despite its sinister side.