托福口语 Task 4

Today we're going to talk about a fascinating behavior in the animal kingdom known as 'cooperative breeding.' In cooperative breeding, instead of just the parents raising the young, other members of the group—often older siblings or unrelated adults—help care for the offspring. This may seem puzzling from an evolutionary perspective, because why would an individual help raise others' young instead of producing its own? But there are clear benefits. Let me give you two examples. First, consider the meerkat. In meerkat groups, subordinate adults often act as babysitters while the dominant pair goes hunting. These babysitters protect the pups from predators and even teach them how to forage. Interestingly, babysitters gain experience in parenting, which increases their own chances of successfully raising pups later. Second, look at the acorn woodpecker. These birds store acorns in communal granaries. Young woodpeckers stay with their parents for several years and help defend the granary and feed younger siblings. By staying and helping, they inherit a prime territory and a ready-made food supply, which is much safer than striking out on their own. So, cooperative breeding offers direct or indirect benefits that enhance the helpers' survival and future reproductive success.