Reproductive Suppression

Subordinate meerkats breed less often than dominants because they are less likely to be in the presence of non-kin meerkats and because their reproduction is suppressed by the dominant same sex animal. The alpha female more successfully suppresses reproduction than the alpha male. If a subordinate female is able to conceive, she often loses her litter to infanticide.

Incest Avoidance
Neither dominant nor subordinate meerkats will breed with a related animal. Because there are few unrelated meerkats in the band, competition for them results, and the dominant meerkats will have access to them. As dominants, they are stronger and heavier than the subordinates. If they were not the most successful competitors, they would not hold the alpha position. Subordinate males and females do not breed with each other or with the opposite sex dominant because they are typically closely related. Subordinate breeding increases when unrelated subordinates or outsiders are present. Relatedness in a band depends more on male migration than on female migration, so males have more control over whether or not they are around related meerkats. Males can covertly breed with unrelated meerkats in other bands and then return to the natal territory. Even if females did so, they would still have to give birth, which would be impossible to hide from the alpha female (O’Riain et al., 2000). As a result, suppression of reproduction by inbreeding avoidance affects females more than males.

Infanticide

Facts in this section taken from (Clutton-Brock et al., Dec 1998)
The primary way that dominant females suppress the reproduction of subordinates is infanticide. Males, including immigrants, do not kill the offspring of subordinates, leading to the conclusion that infanticide is a means of reducing the number of pups that will benefit from babysitters. By killing another meerkat’s pups, the dominant female ensures that babysitters take care of her pups only, greatly reducing the energy that she must invest in them. Also, once the pups emerge from the burrow, they will have fewer other pups to compete with while begging from foraging adults. The meerkat whose pups were killed can now serve as a helper, and will be able to allolactate, as she is physiologically ready to raise young.

The infanticidal female typically carries the pups out of the burrow and kills and sometimes eats them, though she may also move the band to another section of the burrow. In this case, the subordinate female must either abandon her pups or die, as she cannot raise them alone. She will return to the band to serve as a helper, leaving her pups behind. Subordinate and dominant females are known to kill pups of other meerkats, including close relatives. Subordinates who give birth immediately after the alpha female does are most likely to avoid infanticide, probably because the alpha female does not have the time or energy to kill pups.

Expulsion

Facts in this section taken from (Clutton-Brock et al., Dec 1998)
In meerkats, birth is synchronized both within bands and between them. To avoid infanticide to her own pups, the alpha female expels subordinate females late into her pregnancy. Subordinate females do not leave without being expelled, which leads to the conclusion that any subordinate pregancies were not prevenantable by the dominant female. She does not need to allow them to breed every once in awhile to retain their loyalty to her. She expels them whether or not they are pregnant, so her motivation is fear of infanticide, not reproductive suppression. She allows them to return and they often do. It is to the dominant female’s advantage if they return, because they will serve as helpers.. However, some of them do not. During the dominant females pregnancy, many males voluntarily emigrate. At this time, they are most likely to meet up with other females to start a new band. Also, they avoid the costs of baby-sitting.

Infanticide Facts in this section taken from (Clutton-Brock et al., Dec 1998) The primary way that dominant females suppress the reproduction of subordinates is infanticide. Males, including immigrants, do not kill the offspring of subordinates, leading to the conclusion that infanticide is a means of reducing the number of pups that will benefit from babysitters. By killing another meerkat’s pups, the dominant female ensures that babysitters take care of her pups only, greatly reducing the energy that she must invest in them. Also, once the pups emerge from the burrow, they will have fewer other pups to compete with while begging from foraging adults. The meerkat whose pups were killed can now serve as a helper, and will be able to allolactate, as she is physiologically ready to raise young.
The infanticidal female typically carries the pups out of the burrow and kills and sometimes eats them, though she may also move the band to another section of the burrow. In this case, the subordinate female must either abandon her pups or die, as she cannot raise them alone. She will return to the band to serve as a helper, leaving her pups behind. Subordinate and dominant females are known to kill pups of other meerkats, including close relatives. Subordinates who give birth immediately after the alpha female does are most likely to avoid infanticide, probably because the alpha female does not have the time or energy to kill pups.
	Photo Courtesy of the Nashville Zoo
Expulsion Facts in this section taken from (Clutton-Brock et al., Dec 1998) In meerkats, birth is synchronized both within bands and between them. To avoid infanticide to her own pups, the alpha female expels subordinate females late into her pregnancy. Subordinate females do not leave without being expelled, which leads to the conclusion that any subordinate pregancies were not prevenantable by the dominant female. She does not need to allow them to breed every once in awhile to retain their loyalty to her. She expels them whether or not they are pregnant, so her motivation is fear of infanticide, not reproductive suppression. She allows them to return and they often do. It is to the dominant female’s advantage if they return, because they will serve as helpers.. However, some of them do not. During the dominant females pregnancy, many males voluntarily emigrate. At this time, they are most likely to meet up with other females to start a new band. Also, they avoid the costs of baby-sitting.