Mapping the manor: burrow architecture and its consequences in wild Kalahari meerkats

This PhD project investigates the architecture of burrows used by wild Kalahari meerkats (Suricata suricatta) and examines how their structural design affects occupants' lives, including thermoregulation, litter survival, and shelter preference. Burrows play vital roles as resting places, refuges, and nurseries, buffering temperature extremes critical in a changing climate. What You Will Under supervision by Dr Dominic Cram and co-supervisor Prof. Adam Booth, you will deploy geophysical and surveying techniques, including ground-penetrating radar and GPS, combined with bio-telemetry and biologging, at a South African field site. Using these tools alongside extensive long-term behavioral data on meerkats, you will analyze burrow structure features and their ecological and evolutionary implications. You will join a vibrant research community at UEA and collaborate with researchers at University of Leeds and the Kalahari Meerkat Project. Expected Outcomes The project aims to elucidate how burrow architecture affects litter survival, thermoregulation, and shelter selection. It will generate novel insights into subterranean habitat use in wild mammals and yield transferable skills in ecology, geophysics, data analysis, scientific writing, and communication. Why It Matters By understanding how burrow design impacts meerkat fitness and behavior, this work informs broader questions about animal adaptation to environmental challenges and climate change. It advances interdisciplinary research linking ecology, evolution, and technology, enhancing conservation and management strategies for burrow-dependent species.

Essential: Minimum 2:1 degree in biology or a related field, or a quantitative subject with a strong interest in evolutionary ecology. Willingness to learn geophysical techniques and a valid driving license are required. Desirable: Experience in field ecology, technical skills, or handling ecological/spatial/geophysical data is advantageous but not essential.

Apply through the University of East Anglia PhD application route
Include the project title and supervisor details
Be prepared for fieldwork in South Africa