Social Spacing

The dwarf mongoose utilizes food resources including insects and small mammals that are sparsely distributed and not easily found within their arid environment. Also, the mongoose young are born in a relatively immature state which requires them to be extensively cared for and guarded for the first few weeks of their life. These two requirements necessitate that they forage over a large enough area during the day to catch an adequate amount of food, and also have a relatively safe refuge for the night. Thus, the mongoose utilizes a very large territory averaging 85 acres (34 ha), and in dry tree savanna lands, these territories can be as large as 395 acres (160 ha) (Online Source). Within this territory is a high density of termite mounds (70/ square kilometer) which the mongoose packs use as places of refuge (Rood, 1983).

During the year, the mongoose packs continually move from termite mound to termite mound within their territory in response to depleted food resources in a particular foraging area. They regularly change residencies during these migrations and this can also be explained as a way for them to renew their claim on the residences through scent marking. Marking of territories by the dwarf mongoose takes place using both anal and cheek glands, and the marking rituals are performed based on the hierarchical arrangement of the group. Generally, the alpha female begins by cheek marking the area just outside the nest, followed by anal marking. Then the alpha male performs this feat next, followed by juveniles, subadults, and adult subordinates, respectively (Rasa, 1973). Marking is also used as a way of determining which animals are performing jobs within the group at any one time. Prior to engaging in a period of babysitting, the individual whose job it is next will mark the area outside the nest and this unique mark identifies the individual and the time it was made, based on freshness.

Also, it has been determined by watching responses of mongooses to encounterine strange marks that cheek marks are associated with threatening stimuli and will typically invoke aggressive posturing as a response when encountered. Cheek marking is performed more frequently when threat to the group is perceived and serves as a warning. Anal gland secretions are more unique for each individual and serve as a means of identification. Thus, when marking outside the nest, each individual contributes to the group possession of the area through cheek markings and demonstrates their contribution to the group with anal marks. And reciprocal allomarking reinforces social bonds between members.