Aspects of the Social Ethology of Some Kalahari Rodents

Abstract

Studied the social structure of nine rodent species in a subdesert environment by means of direct observation and live- and snaptrapping. Six social groupings — asocial, solitary dispersed; social, solitary clustered; social, communal pair; social, communal but non-colonial; social, communal with little contact; social, communal with close contact (colonial) — are recognized. Diurnal species tend to live in colonies, probably with mutual warning systems against predators. For most species the social structure exhibited is an adaptation to predation, with the effect of food requirements playing a subsidiary role. Larder hoarding is common in solitary and asocial species.