Mongooses prepare for likely future battles with powerful enemies, study finds
image:
Group of dwarf mongooses under threat from a rival group
view moreCredit: Shannon Wild
Dwarf mongooses anticipate encounters with rival groups and adjust how they move, communicate and defend resources beforehand, according to new research from the University of Bristol.
The study, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution today [16th June 2026], shows that mongoose groups alter their behaviour in areas where fights with rivals are most likely, even in the absence of another group. The biggest changes are when the anticipated threat is greatest.
Lead author Dr Josh Arbon, from the School of Biological Sciences, explained: “Not only are the mongooses keeping track of where their enemies might be, but they’re factoring in the relative size of different groups. They can then tailor their pre-emptive behaviour accordingly.”
Dwarf mongooses are Africa’s smallest carnivore, living in groups of 5 to 30 that collectively defend a territory against neighbours. Fights often break out when groups encounter one another, which can lead to injury or even death.
Working in South Africa, the researchers found that group members looking out for danger call more when the potential threat is from a larger group. But some behaviours, such as choosing where to sleep in the evening, change most when there are well-matched neighbours with whom fights can be most costly.
Senior author Andy Radford, Professor of Behavioural Ecology, said: “We know that battles between groups can be very dangerous for participants. What we’ve shown now is that there are constant behavioural changes to mitigate these risks and enhance the likelihood of future contest success.”
Dr Arbon added: “This work provides insight into how smaller groups are able to survive, and even thrive, amongst more powerful enemies by strategically moving through space and communicating about potential dangers.”
The study was based on ten years of observational and GPS data from wild dwarf mongooses that are used to the close presence of human observers. It was part of the long-term Dwarf Mongoose Research Project, which was pioneered by co-authors Drs Julie Kern and Amy Morris-Drake.
Dr Kern said: “The dwarf mongooses are an ideal model species. Both because their lives are strongly affected by intergroup conflict and because we could observe them so closely in natural conditions.”
Dr Morris-Drake, Research Associate, concluded: “Conflict between groups is rife throughout the natural world. We have shown that animals are continuously making decisions in a landscape of conflict, not just when they actually encounter rivals.”
The work was funded by Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and European Research Council (ERC) grants awarded to Professor Radford.
Paper
‘Dwarf mongooses pre-emptively alter their behaviour relative to the threat posed by different rival groups’ by J. J. Arbon, A. Morris-Drake, J. M. Kern and A. N. Radford in Nature Ecology & Evolution
ENDS
Dwarf mongoose acting as a sentinel (raised guard) gathering and conveying information to groupmates about potential rival threats.
Habituating the wild dwarf mongooses to observer close presence has allowed detailed data collection in natural conditions
Credit
Shannon Wild
Shannon Wild
Journal
Nature Ecology & Evolution
Article Title
Dwarf mongooses pre-emptively alter their behaviour relative to the threat posed by different rival groups
Article Publication Date
16-Jun-2026
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