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Science 4 June 1999:
Vol. 284. no. 5420, pp. 1640 - 1644
DOI: 10.1126/science.284.5420.1640
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Research Articles

Selfish Sentinels in Cooperative Mammals

T. H. Clutton-Brock, 1* M. J. O'Riain, 2 P. N. M. Brotherton, 1 D. Gaynor, 2 R. Kansky, 2 A. S. Griffin, 3 M. Manser 1

Like humans engaged in risky activities, group members of some animal societies take turns acting as sentinels. Explanations of the evolution of sentinel behavior have frequently relied on kin selection or reciprocal altruism, but recent models suggest that guarding may be an individual's optimal activity once its stomach is full if no other animal is on guard. This paper provides support for this last explanation by showing that, in groups of meerkats (Suricata suricatta), animals guard from safe sites, and solitary individuals as well as group members spend part of their time on guard. Though individuals seldom take successive guarding bouts, there is no regular rota, and the provision of food increases contributions to guarding and reduces the latency between bouts by the same individual.

1 Large Animal Research Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK.
2 Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, 0002 Pretoria, Republic of South Africa.
3 Institute of Cell, Animal and Population Biology, University of Edinburgh, Ashworth Laboratories, King's Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK.
*   To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: thcb{at}hermes.cam.ac.uk

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