The passage typically describes the social structure of meerkats (Suricata suricatta), small carnivores native to the Kalahari Desert. Key themes include:
The text is expository and scientific, often featuring research from Cambridge University’s Animal Behaviour Lab or researchers like Tim Clutton-Brock.
Before looking at the answers, ensure you understand these terms used in the text:
Do the following statements agree with the information in the passage?
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1–13, which are based on the reading passage below. meerkat study ielts reading answers
A
At first glance, the meerkat (Suricata suricatta) appears unremarkable—a small mongoose native to the Kalahari Desert. Yet decades of ethological research have revealed that this creature operates one of nature’s most sophisticated cooperative systems. Unlike solitary carnivores, meerkats live in mobs of up to 50 individuals, displaying altruistic behaviours rarely seen outside the primate order.
B
Central to meerkat society is sentinel duty. One member climbs an elevated termite mound or acacia branch to scan for predators such as jackals, eagles, and snakes. When danger approaches, the sentinel emits a distinct alarm call—different frequencies for aerial versus terrestrial threats. Remarkably, sentinels forgo their own foraging to guard others, a practice that puzzled early Darwinian biologists. Modern inclusive fitness theory resolves this paradox: helpers are usually related, protecting shared genetic material.
C
A longitudinal study conducted by the Kalahari Meerkat Project (1993–present) tracked 14 mobs over 12 breeding seasons. Researchers observed that teaching, once considered uniquely human, occurs in meerkats. Adult helpers demonstrate scorpion-disarming techniques to pups, gradually providing injured prey to train safe handling. This ‘scaffolding’ behaviour increased pup survival by 31% compared to controls.
D
Reproductive suppression is another striking feature. In each mob, a dominant alpha female produces 80% of litters; subordinates assist in pup-rearing but rarely breed. Hormonal analysis revealed that subordinate females experience elevated stress cortisol, which suppresses ovulation. However, when alpha females were experimentally removed, subordinates began reproducing within weeks, confirming that social control, not mere infertility, drives this system. The passage typically describes the social structure of
E
Climate data from 2005–2015 showed that meerkat group size correlates with rainfall variability. During drought years, smaller mobs had higher juvenile mortality (57% vs. 22% in large mobs). Larger groups benefit from ‘pooled vigilance’—more eyes mean less individual time on lookout, freeing energy for foraging. This buffer effect explains why meerkats are atypical among desert mammals: they thrive in dense communities rather than dispersing.
F
However, cooperation has costs. Alloparenting (non-parental care) reduces helper body mass by 12% over a dry season. Additionally, sentinels face higher predation risk: a 2012 telemetry study found that 19% of sentinel deaths occurred on duty versus 6% during other activities. Nonetheless, the fitness benefits—group survival during famines, predator detection, and knowledge transfer—consistently outweigh these costs, as modelled by Hamilton’s rule (rB > C).
G
Practical applications have emerged from this research. Wildlife managers now use meerkat alarm call recordings to reduce human-wildlife conflict; broadcasting terrestrial alarms deters meerkats from crossing roads. More broadly, the meerkat model informs organisational psychology—‘redundant vigilance’ in teams and ‘rotating leadership’ mirror corporate risk management strategies.
If you are practicing IELTS Academic Reading, you may have encountered a passage about Meerkats and their feeding habits. This passage frequently appears in practice tests (often titled "A Study of Meerkats" or similar). The text is expository and scientific , often
Many students find this passage tricky because the True/False/Not Given questions require very careful reading.
Below is a summary of the passage, the key vocabulary you need to know, and the Answer Key with Explanations to help you understand why the answers are correct.
Example: Passage says “The dominant female suppresses reproduction in subordinates.” Question: “Only one female breeds.” → Answer: True.
Look for names like Kalahari, Tim Clutton-Brock, dominant female, helpers, sentinel, and years (e.g., 2003). These anchor answers.