A Day In The Life Of A Meerkat

A Day In The Life Of A Meerkat

A Day In The Life Of A Meerkat

If you're from the UK you will probably have seen (and in some cases) captivated by the life and times of Alexandr Orlov. He leads a life of luxury due to the success of his business, but for the majority of meerkats life is not luxurious at all.

Meerkats are native to the Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa, which is one of the harshest environments on earth and they face daily challenges to their survival.

Meerkat Families

Meerkats live in groups called mobs or gangs which are often made up of about 20 individuals ranging from pups to adults. There have been records of meerkat mobs numbering upto 50 individuals.

These adorable animals are expert diggers and they live in burrows which can have as many as 15 entrance holes. These burrows are made up of several tunnels, which are split over a number of levels and can extend a few feet below the surface. Their main purpose is to offer shelter to young meerkats as they grow but they also serve as an escape route should predators enter a territory.

Easy To Spot

Meerkats are quite easy to distinguish from other animals as they have a habit of standing on their hind legs to make themselves taller, so they can see further and spot predators easier.

What Do Meerkats Eat?

One of the most intriguing things about meerkats is their diet; they will eat almost anything they can get their tiny claws on and will often risk death to secure a meal. A Mob of meerkats will take on venomous snakes, deadly scorpions which often have enough venom to kill a fully grown human. There is evidence to suggest that meerkats are imune to venom which is remarkable considering a meerkat is the size of a small puppy.

Social Structure

A gang of meerkats has a distinct social structure headed by a male and female. There is a strong social bond between the members of the mob which is reinforced by "grooming". Meerkats pick up fleas and other parasites and other members of the family pick these off and eat them. If a minor member is in trouble with a leader they may groom them to help win back favour.

When meerkats are feeding one member will climb up to a higher position to watch out for predators or other threats. If a threat is spotted the meerkat will make a loud sitinctive call and the whole family will stop feeding or playing and run for the cover of their burrow.

Despite the strong social bond between the gang, the leaders can and do expel some females from the group, and females may kill another female's pups.

Meerkat Gift

Adopt a Meerkat with the Aspinall Foundation and you can give a gift that will bring a smile to someone's face and help meerkat conservation. Meerkat adoption is not just about the gift pack you receive but it is also about helping conservation prjects to protect these adorable animals for the future.

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