Meerkat

Description

Meerkats are from the mongoose family. They have an elongated and very flexible body, allowing them to move around the caves that they dig beneath the earth with the claws on their hind legs. Their coats are thin and quite short with a spotted cinnamon colour and with black bands on the back. Their elongated faces and pointy noses allow them to sniff inside hollows. 

Ethology

They are diurnal and very sociable. They live in groups of about 40 individuals in small subterranean boroughs that communicate with others in a network. They only leave the caves during the day to find food. Their predators include birds of prey and carnivores, but they have developed strategies to avoid them. They can often be seen standing on their two hind legs in high areas to keep watch over their shelters and the rest of the group.

Interesting facts

They are very sociable and friendly animals, which is why in some cultures they are often found as pets. In Europe, they aren’t very common as household pets because they can be destructive. Many of the places they live are protected, and so the species is not currently threatened. Their populations are only affected by habitat fragmentation.