Meerkats ‘pass on snooze traditions’

LONDON - Meerkats that enjoy snoozing tend to ‘pass on the tradition’, according to scientists.

While studying groups of the mammals in the Kalahari, researchers found that some tended to doze in their burrows for much longer than their neighbours.

And their successors maintained the same timekeeping, even if they changed burrows or different individuals joined the group.

The team concluded that the meerkats pass on the ‘family alarm’ as a ‘cultural’ trait rather than a survival skill, reports the Telegraph.

The find is of critical importance as it shows that animals pass on ‘traditions’ as well as behaviour learned for environmental reasons. (ANI)