Biology
Kin Selection and Alarm Calling in Belding's Ground Squirrels
Quick fact
Female Belding's ground squirrels give alarm calls more often than males, and they are the ones who live near their female relatives—supporting kin selection because calling helps protect kin who share their genes.
Why this is interesting
When a hawk soars overhead, a Belding's ground squirrel may let out a piercing alarm call—but in doing so, it draws attention to itself and increases its own risk of being eaten. Why would an animal sacrifice its own safety for others?