Group Coordination and Decision-Making during Foraging in Meerkats (Suricata suricatta)

Abstract

Some animal species live in stable social groups and scientists have long wondered how such groups are organized in space and how these groups maintain cohesion and make decisions. Group living animals need to trade-off the costs and benefits of close proximity to many conspecifics. Benefits can be increased, and costs reduced by preferentially choosing specific locations within a group, or by preferentially associating with specific group members. In many species, vocal communication also plays a key role in mitigating the compromise Show more