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Species Information

Meerkats - Suricata suricatta

Species status - Least concern. IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

Meerkats are part of the mongoose family; they are found throughout the Kalahari Dessert, Africa and are not considered endangered. They live in groups of around 20 although large groups known as super-families may contain upward of 50 animals. A group of meerkats are known as a clan or gang.

Meerkats are primarily insectivores; they also eat lizards, snakes, scorpions, spiders, plants, eggs and small mammals. They are partially immune to certain venoms; they are immune to the very strong venom of the scorpions of the Kalahari Desert.

Meerkats need to forage for food daily as they do not lay down body fat. When meerkat groups are foraging one meerkat will act as "sentry" and be on guard watching for predators while the others search for food. Sentry duty usually lasts an hour; sentries will often be seen standing on their hind legs on a raised area, actively watching the sky as well as the surrounding area for predators. In the wild this duty also includes vigilance to protect the group from roving male meerkats and other meerkat clan or gang attacks. If the meerkat sentry spots danger, it barks loudly or makes a sound that sounds like a whistle.

Predators include snakes, jackals and birds of prey but meerkats are far from defenseless. They will harass, mob or even and try to kill predators such as cobras. Wild meerkats often have battle scars from encounters they have survived.

Baby meerkats are known as pups, they are born to the dominant female of the clan and emerge from the burrow at around 3 weeks. They are looked after and tutored by other members of the group returning to their mother only to suckle. It has been known that other females in a wild group of meerkats may start lactating (without giving birth), this occurs if the dominant female is absent foraging for long periods of time.

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