LEAST CONCERN

MEERKAT

SURICATA SURICATTA

Meerkats are social animals known for playful behavior and strong family bonds. Living in groups called mobs, they work together to protect their territory and raise their young. These small carnivores are highly adaptable and can be found in arid regions of southern Africa.

HABITAT

Meerkts are found in southern Africa.

They're found in deserts, savannahs and grasslands with sparse, woody growth, where they live in complex underground burrows to hide from predators, escape the sun's heat, and survive cold overnight temperatures.

DIET

Meerkats are omnivores. They mainly eat insects, but will also eat small rodents, fruits, vegetables, birds, eggs, snakes, lizards & scorpions

BEHAVIOUR

Meerkats are incredibly social animals!

They love to forage, burrow, groom each other, wrestle and play.

They live in groups of up to fifty individuals with one female alpha who will then be the only female in the group who will mate. This is called a matriarchal society. The other members of the group will help raise any pups, teaching them to dig for food and to hunt.

THREATS

There are no major threats to meerkats in the wild and they are Least Concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MEERKATS

If you want to learn more about meerkats and how we care for them at Fife Zoo