Scientists crack meerkat communication
Meerkats are known for their constant chatter and babbling, but not all their sounds are meant to start a conversation. According to a team of researchers from the University of Konstanz and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, meerkats use these sounds to communicate their presence to group members. However, the animals also use different codes based on whether they expect a response or not.
Meerkats are social animals who spend their days together and move around a lot, making various sounds. Demartsev, from the Max Planck Institute, describes them as working very hard to maintain their group. The researchers analyzed two types of vocalizations produced by meerkats: "short notes" and "close calls." While short notes are typically unanswered, close calls are designed for chatting with a specific group member.
In their study, the team monitored meerkats in several groups at a research center in South Africa. Each animal wore a collar that recorded audio data and tracked their location via GPS. This allowed the scientists to determine which animal produced a particular sound when and where. They found that when a meerkat makes a close call, the neighboring animal is likely to respond within half a second. Short notes, on the other hand, are not structured and are usually not followed by a response.
Demartsev and his team published their findings in the journal "Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences." Meerkats (Suricata suricatta) inhabit arid regions in southern Africa and form groups of about 20 individuals. One dominant male and one dominant female produce most of the offspring, which are then raised communally by all group members. The animals live in burrows with guarded entrances.
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- Behavioral research in linguistics has also revealed that meerkats' communication methods are not limited to meerkats; similar patterns can be observed in various animal species, highlighting the importance of this study for broader understanding of animal communication within the Max Planck Society's scientific community.
- Building upon this research, schools and educational institutions could incorporate meerkat communication studies into their curriculum, fostering interest in animal behavior, linguistics, and research methodologies, thereby enhancing students' understanding of the natural world.
Source: www.ntv.de
