Gender Roles In Wild Mating

In the wild mating in the group is supposed to be reserved for the alpha male and alpha female, but things happen to change this. First the alpha male might die or be overthrown by another male from inside their group or another group. Also, the alpha female might mate with a wandering male from another group while out foraging for food, the alpha male never knowing. What they won't do is mate with another direct family member. When the dominate female is ready to breed she will chase away all the other beta families that can bear children, this will be females at 10 months and older. The temporary outcast will follow the gang until the alpha female has had her pups (babies) and regains her strength. This is done because she wants only her offspring in the group and another beta female might try and displace her during her weakened time of giving birth. The trailing females often get impregnated from males from other groups they encounter. Often they will abort these births. If they do give birth they will attempt to sneak them in with the pups of the alpha female. The alpha female will, if she notices, kill and eat the beta female babies. If the alpha female pup dies, no other meerkat will eat them. A few days after the birth of the alpha’s pups, the once
out-casted females will rejoin the gang and help with giving milk to the new pups if they are able. They can breed every two months but tend to successfully breed two to three times a year depending on food availability. The gestational period is 70 days resulting in a litter of usually five to six pups. Zoos cannot go off of the fact that meerkats generally will not interbreed so contraceptive is necessary for each female in the exhibit.
Hierarchy is constantly challenged, if only the alfa females had contraceptive and zoo staff did not catch a hierarchy change, it would result in unwanted pregnancy. GnRH agonist Suprelorin will be implanted into each female to suppress the reproductive endocrine system, preventing production of pituitary (FSH and LH) and gonadal hormones (estradiol and progesterone). The stimulatory phase that happens after insertion needs to be avoided by use of Ovaban administration for one week before and after implant placement. Suprelorin is designed to be effective 6-12
months.