BBC Wildlife Magazine·3 min read·medium
This mammal breaks one of nature's biggest rules - and scientists have finally worked out why…
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Louisa Streeting
✦AI Summary
A 29-year study of spotted hyenas in Tanzania reveals that female dominance is maintained through the inheritance of social rank from mothers to daughters. This 'nepo baby' system allows high-ranking females to secure better resources and reproductive success over generations.
For most mammals, it’s the males who are dominant. They’ll compete fiercely with each other and a select few of the top males father most of the children. Females usually share motherhood more equally.
science
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