Mongooses prepare for likely future battles with powerful enemies, study finds

Dwarf mongooses anticipate encounters with rival groups and adjust how they move, communicate and defend resources beforehand, according to new research from the University of Bristol.

The study, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, shows that mongoose groups alter their behavior in areas where fights with rivals are most likely, even in the absence of another group.

The biggest changes occur when the anticipated threat is greatest. ...