Thermal Refuges as Extended Phenotypes: Lodge Construction by Bush Karoo Rats
Carsten Schradin A, Nkululeko Mbanjwa, Nkululeko Nyawo, Nicola Stievenard, Perfect Dlamini, Neville Pillay, Lindelani Makuya
The paper studies bush Karoo rat lodges, finding they improve thermoregulation, provide predator protection, and are genetically encoded extended phenotypes shaped by ecological pressures.
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology · Jun 1, 2026Peer-reviewedAnimal Behavior & Cognition