Very different mammals follow the same rules of behavior: Research hints at an underlying architecture

[erronis]

https://phys.org/news/2025-05-mammals-behavior-hints-underlying-architecture.html

In the natural world—where predators pounce, prey flee, and group members feed and sleep in solidarity—animal behavior is glorious in its variety. Now, new research suggests there may be an underlying architecture that orders the movements of animals as they go about their very different lives. And it's more widespread than previously imagined.

In a study spanning meerkats in the Kalahari desert, coatis in Panama's rainforest, and spotted hyenas in Kenya's savanna, researchers have discovered that the daily actions of these animals show surprisingly similar patterns.

. . .

The hidden algorithm came to light in data that were collected from wild animals tagged with accelerometers—the same small sensors in phones and watches that track our activity. The species studied are all social mammals, but they differ in their ecology and behavior. Spotted hyenas are large carnivores, meerkats are small burrowing animals, and coatis are raccoon-sized tree-dwellers. Accelerometers measure posture changes many times each second and the recordings can continue for several days.

These high-resolution motion traces collected from animals were then classified using machine learning into behavioral states like lying, foraging, and walking. For instance, a meerkat might lie down for 10 minutes then briefly stand up to look around for 20 seconds before moving around to search for food for another few minutes.

"This approach allowed us to capture detailed behavioral sequences over days and even weeks from multiple individuals across three distinct species," says Ariana Strandburg-Peshkin, group leader at MPI-AB and senior author on the study.

Across behaviors, individuals, and species, one common principle emerged: The longer an animal stays in one behavioral state, the less likely it is to change it in the next moment. "This was unexpected," adds Minasandra.

. . .

[Walleye]

1. I hope this means that some of my bad habits are biological and not personal

[erronis]

3. And any that you can't write off as biological, just say that "god's will be done."

[Walleye]

5. Exactly. I had been blaming it on the chemicals that make up the universe.

[Joinfortmill]

2. Sorta like humans when you're..

cycling along for miles and suddenly you're in 'the zone' and can keep moving seemingly forever. Or, when you're being a couch potato and binge watching movies for 5 hours without moving.

[erronis]

4. I'm not sure the meerkats, etc. gave their informed consent. But most mobile phone users don't, either.

(I'm Watching) Every Little Move You Make
https://sonichits.com/video/Paul_Anka/Every_Little_Move_You_Make?track=1

[Midnight Writer]

6. Sounds like Trump. "might lie for ten minutes, the briefly stand up to look around for 20 seconds

before moving around to search for food for another few minutes" before restarting the cycle with more lies.