Meerkat
Scientific name: Suricata suricatta
IUCN listed as: Least Concern
Learn before you visit!
Here are some facts about the species – Discover what they eat, find out about their natural habitat, see what they like to do, and more… Set the reading style to suit you too, everyday speak or something aimed towards children.
Child-friendly
Everyday
Diet
Meerkats mainly eat insects like beetles and scorpions, along with small vertebrates such as lizards and rodents. They also consume fruits and seeds when available. These desert dwellers are skilled hunters, using their keen senses and working together in groups to find food and defend their territory.
Meerkats mostly eat insects like beetles and scorpions, as well as small creatures like lizards and rodents. Sometimes they snack on fruits and seeds. These clever desert animals hunt together in groups, using teamwork to find food and protect their home.
Breeding
Meerkats breed during the rainy season, with the dominant pair being the main breeders. After a gestation period of around 11 weeks, the female gives birth to a litter of pups in an underground burrow. The whole group helps care for the pups, ensuring their survival and strengthening social bonds.
Meerkats breed when it rains, with the top couple having babies. After about 11 weeks, the babies are born in an underground burrow. The whole group helps take care of them, making sure they stay safe and grow up strong.
Habitat
Meerkats inhabit arid regions of southern Africa, such as deserts and savannas, where they dig burrows for shelter. Their habitats feature sparse vegetation and sandy soils, ideal for their digging and foraging. Living in groups helps them defend territory and share resources in their harsh environment.
Meerkats live in African deserts and savannas, digging burrows for shelter. Their homes have sandy soil and sparse plants, perfect for digging and finding food. Living in groups helps them protect their territory and find enough to eat.
At the zoo
In UK zoos, meerkats are given special care to keep them happy and healthy. They live in spacious enclosures designed to mimic their natural desert habitat, complete with sand and rocks to dig and play in. Their diet is carefully monitored, consisting of a mix of insects, fruits, and vegetables to provide them with the nutrients they need. Enrichment activities such as digging pits and hiding food encourage natural behaviours and keep them mentally stimulated. Zoos also participate in conservation efforts to protect wild meerkat populations and their habitats.
In UK zoos, meerkats are well looked after. They live in big spaces that feel like their desert homes, with sand and rocks to dig in and explore. They eat a mix of insects, fruits, and veggies to stay healthy and happy. Zoos also give them fun things to do, like digging pits and searching for their food. People also work hard to help protect wild meerkats and their homes so they can keep thriving.
Behaviour
Meerkats are social animals living in groups, cooperating to find food, defend territory, and care for young. They assign specific roles within the group, with sentries watching for danger while others search for food. They communicate through sounds, body language, and scent marking, often engaging in playful activities to strengthen bonds.
Meerkats live together in big families. They take turns watching out for danger and looking for food. They talk to each other with sounds and smells and love playing together to make their bonds stronger.
Fun facts
- Team Players: Meerkats live in groups, working together to find food and watch for danger.
- Lookout Duty: They take turns standing guard, keeping watch while others search for food.
- Digging Masters: Meerkats build intricate burrows for shelter and raising their young.
- Social Groomers: They groom each other to bond and stay clean, removing dirt and pests.
- Playtime Fun: Meerkats love to play, wrestling and having fun when they’re not busy.
- Teamwork Talents: Meerkats live in groups, helping each other find food and stay safe.
- Watchful Eyes: They take turns keeping watch for danger while others search for food.
- Digging Pros: Meerkats make cool burrows for homes and raising babies.
- Grooming Buddies: They clean each other to stay close and neat, getting rid of dirt and bugs.
- Playtime Experts: Meerkats love playing games and having fun when they’re not working.
More animals to discover at our zoo
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