Management of within-group conflict is a key feature of human lives and those of many social animals, with contestants known to adopt various strategies in the immediate aftermath to minimise costs. The study, published today in the journal eLife by a team at University of Bristol, shows that individuals not involved in the altercations can both track the aggressive behaviour of others and act on that information at a later time.
Lead author Dr Amy Morris-Drake, from Bristol’s School of Biological Sciences, said: “Conflict management strategies have evolved to keep the peace in species as varied as chimpanzees, ravens and domestic dogs. Our work demonstrates that dwarf mongooses have sufficient cognitive ability to monitor vocal cues about aggressive interactions and to remember who the bullies are, refusing to groom with them later.”
By working with wild groups of mongooses habituated to their close presence, the research team could collect detailed observations and test their ideas experimentally in natural conditions.