Biology
Cooperative breeding and alloparental care in meerkats
Quick fact
In meerkat groups, subordinate helpers will sometimes feed pups that are not their own offspring, and they even babysit at the burrow while the rest of the group forages—often skipping meals themselves to do so.
Why this is interesting
Meerkats stand on their hind legs, scanning for predators while others forage—but the real surprise is who takes care of whom. Why would a meerkat risk its own safety to look after pups that aren't its own?
Read the full explanation
Understanding Cooperative breeding and alloparental care in meerkats
Meerkats (Suricata suricatta) live in social groups of 2 to 30 individuals. Within each group, a dominant male and female do most of the breeding, and the rest of the group—subordinates—help raise the pups. This is cooperative breeding: a system where individuals other than the parents provide care to the young. The helpers do many tasks: they babysit at the burrow, protect pups from predators, bring food to pups, and even teach them how to handle prey. You can imagine a meerkat group as a large family where everyone pitches in to take care of the kids. The dominant pair are the parents, and the helpers are like older siblings, aunts, and uncles who help out.
A deeper explanation
Why would a meerkat spend energy and take risks to care for pups that are not its own? The key is kin selection and inclusive fitness. Helpers are usually closely related to the breeding pair—they are often the offspring of the dominant pair from previous litters. By helping their siblings survive, they are also passing on copies of their own genes indirectly. This is the concept of inclusive fitness: an individual's success is measured not just by its own offspring, but also by the survival of relatives who share its genes. In addition to kin benefits, there are direct benefits for helpers. Helpers may gain experience in parenting, which improves their own future breeding success. They may also be allowed to stay in the group, which provides safety and resources. In some cases, helpers may even inherit the breeding position. The system works because the benefits—both direct and indirect—outweigh the costs of helping. This mechanism explains why cooperative breeding is often found in species living in harsh environments where successful breeding is rare and difficult.