Banded mongooses could give some tips to reality show TV producers on how to engineer sizzling plot lines.
According to CNN, when a female banded mongoose looking to mate with a male from a rival gang, she employees a deeply crafty method to hide those lying eyes.
She does it by starting fights--and using the violence as a smokescreen.
Banded mongooses are small, cat-like creatures found in small groups in some parts of Africa.
The territorial animals rarely leave the groups they are born into. As such, group members are often closely genetically related.
Michael Cant is a professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Exeter's Centre for Ecology and Conservation.
He says the females start fights between groups to gain genetic benefits from mating with outsiders. However, it takes a toll on the rest of the group.
We've known for some time that banded mongoose groups often engage in violent battles -- and now we know why. Michael Cant, a professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Exeter's Centre for Ecology and Conservation, said in a statement.
