Meerkat (Suricatta Suricatta)

Meerkats are a small mammal and are a member of the Mongoose family. A group of Meerkats are called a "mob","gang" or "clan". The Meerkat measures 10-24 inches. Their tale is long and slender and tapers to a black or reddish coloured pointed tip. Their fur is silvery brown and they have irregular black stripes on their rumps which are unique to each Meerkat. The underside of the Meerkat has no markings but the belly has a patch which is only sparsely covered with hair and shows the black skin underneath. The Meerkat uses this area to absorb heat while standing on its rear legs. Their faces are white with dark markings around their eyes (which helps deflect the suns glare). Their ears are crescent shaped and can close when digging in order to keep sand out. Unlike most Mongoose, Meerkats have 5 instead of 4 toes on each paw.

Diet

Click here to see Zoo's Diet.

Longevity in captivity

The longevity in captivity has dramatically reduced over the past 20 years. Click here to read more.

IUCN Rating - Least Concern

CITES Rating - Appendix II

Enclosure