Biology
Cooperative Breeding in Meerkats and Its Fitness Consequences
Quick fact
In meerkat groups, subordinates contribute up to 50% of the food brought to pups, yet they rarely breed themselves. This cooperative effort boosts pup survival by about 80% compared to groups without helpers.
Why this is interesting
You've seen meerkats standing sentinel on their hind legs—but did you know that the individuals doing the babysitting and sentinel duty are usually not the parents? Why would an animal forgo its own reproduction to help raise others' pups?