Communication

Main Research Questions

Our research on vocal communication focuses on vocal ontogeny, call repertoire formation, alarm calls, and the social influences on vocalizations. Data collection methods include audio recordings, audiocollars, microphone recordings and playback experiments, allowing us to study the communication systems of yellow mongooses across all age categories.

Due to our regular visits and individual tracking, we have achieved a high level of habituation in our population. This enables us to gather behaviour, life history and sound data from a young age. Pups are recorded as they emerge from their burrow, while older individuals are monitored with directional microphones during social interactions.

Both male and female yellow mongooses care for their offspring, engaging in babysitting and pup feeding behaviours. Their social interactions involve a range of vocalisations—affiliative, neutral, or aggressive—depending on the context. Alarm calls are also emitted when group members are present and a potential predator is detected. Despite these observations, much remains unknown about their communication system, prompting our investigation into the evolution of yellow mongoose vocalisations.

Yellow mongoose pups can produce over 10 call types within their first three months of life. Notably, they replace their vocal repertoire as they mature, shifting from pup-specific calls to those associated with adults upon reaching juvenile status. Ongoing research aims to further explore the evolution, development and complexity of their communication system.