In Tanzania, we watched on many occasions when small flocks of red-billed birds descended upon the backs of giraffes, cape buffalo, elephants and hippopotamuses, prancing around like they owned them.

We do this every day with domesticated species such as dogs or horses: They help us find something or carry us somewhere, and, in return, we provide them with food and shelter. In biological terms, ...

Your story claims that mongooses and warthogs provide the only example of mutualism between two mammal species. Hang on, what about dogs and humans? We provide food and a warm place to sleep. They ...

The intricate relationships between cleaner fish and cleaner shrimp underpin some of the most compelling examples of mutualism in coral reef ecosystems. These interactions involve smaller organisms ...