Social Relationships

The Dwarf Mongoose, Helogale parvula, is a very social organism, conducting most of its characteristic behaviors as a kin group of between 2 and 20 individuals of many ages. The median pack size was around 8 individuals and the average pack size was 8.9 (Rood, 1990). The majority of these individuals in the group are the offspring of the dominant (alpha) pair of the group, the only breeders and usually the oldest members of the group (Rood, 1983). The nonbreeding individuals in the mongoose pack consist of adult subordinate males and females (both unrelated immigrants, and adult offspring of the breeding pair), and juveniles under one year old, born in the most recent breeding season.

In the dwarf mongoose, mating is performed only by the alpha pair within the group and an interesting age-related dominance hierarchy helps to maintain this mating structure. The mongoose structure is a matriarchy with the founding female the head of the group and the founding male second (Rasa, 1973). The youngest individuals, born in the current mating season rank next behind the alpha pair, and the adult offspring decrease in rank based on their age - the oldest non-mating adults ranking at the bottom of the group hierarchy. Within each age group, females rank higher than males (Rasa, 1977).

It appears that there is a sex bias amongst adult offspring of the breeding pair, as there are significantly more natal females in the group between 1 and 3 years old. This suggests a tendency for adult females to remain in their natal pack far more frequently than males who disperse in hopes of attaining alpha breeding status in other groups (Rood, 1983).