Meerkat
Suricata suricatta
Distribution
West of Southern Africa, from Namibia and the extreme south of Angola to Botswana and South Africa.
Habitat
Savannah
Gestation
2.5 months
Number of pups
2-5
Longevity
12 years
Weight
620-770 g
Size
25-35 cm, tail = 17.5-25 cm
Diet
insectivorous, small part carnivorous, small part herbivorous
Conservation status
:
Not Threatened
Always on the lookout!
Very small mongooses, meerkats are known for their sentinel behavior. Indeed, there is always one of the members of the group who is on the lookout, while the others go about their business: in case of a potential predator, he will warn them with a loud cry! If the predator goes on the attack, the whole group acts collectively to defend itself.
Very active, meerkats love to dig, search for prey, play and groom each other.
It is a group of 4 meerkats that you can observe in La Barben. You will probably see them digging through the sand, looking for potential prey… or building a new tunnel!
