12 Marvellous meerkat mysteries you may not have known
Meerkats are engaging, sociable creatures.
FORGET about the big five – when it comes to fascinating game watching it is hard to beat a suricate sighting. If you are lucky enough to find a colony while visiting a game reserve, these amazing little creatures will keep you entertained for hours. Here are some facts about these fascinating little charmers.
* In South Africa suricates (Suricata suricatta) are commonly known as meerkats.
* Along with their relatives, mongooses, genets and civets, the suricates belong to the Viverridae family.
* They are sociable creatures that live in groups of up to about 40.
* They dig their own warrens but will also make use of burrows dug by ground squirrels and yellow mongooses, with whom they often live in harmony.
* They are often seen standing on their hind legs surveying the landscape and using their tails for support. When they run they hold their tails up vertically in the air.
* While the colony forages there is always a sentry standing guard, watching out for predators, including raptors and jackals. A whistle from the sentry will send the meerkats scurrying for cover.
*Their long front claws make them efficient diggers and burrowers and help them to dig up the insects that make up a high percent of their diet.
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*They appear to be immune to some venoms including that of scorpions, which makes up part of their diet.
* The meerkat can close its ears to keep dirt out while burrowing.
* Suricates are widely distributed through the central and western areas of southern Africa.
* These sociable little creatures make soft grunting noises to keep in contact with each other while they forage or are on the move.
* Look for them in open, sparsely vegetated country.
Sources: Chris and Tilde Stuart’s Field Guide to Mammals of southern Africa (Struik) and the Mokala National Park official information guide.
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