Who shares the burrow? Digging into cohabitation in Kalahari mammals
Communication & Collective Movement Group
Meerkat
Meerkat
Project description How do different species manage to live side-by-side in the same underground homes? This project digs deep into the ecological and social factors that shape burrow sharing in three fascinating social mammals of the southern Kalahari: cape ground squirrels, yellow mongooses, and merkats. All three species rely on extensive burrow networks as safe refuges. Sometimes they share - sometimes they don’t. The reasons are… still a mystery 🕵️. In this B.Sc. project you’ll analyze burrow occupancy data collected at the Kalahari Research Centre in South Africa, to find out when and why different species share burrows or stay apart.
Do animals share when it’s cold or risky?Do group size or babies in the group change these rules?
You’ll combine environmental data with social and life history variables to reveal whether burrow sharing is a strategic choice or simply a case of resource limitation. Data processing and analysis will be done in R. Prior R experience is helpful but not required.
Who can apply? The project is open to BSc students
