Meerkat

The meerkat is a small mammal that lives in the deserts and dry grasslands of southern Africa. It belongs to the mongoose family. An adult meerkat is about 12 inches long, not counting its thin tail, and weighs only about 2 pounds, less than a pet cat. Its fur is tan with darker stripes across the back.

Meerkats live in the Kalahari Desert and other dry parts of South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia. They dig long tunnel systems called burrows that can stretch 15 feet underground with many rooms and exits. The burrows stay cool during the hot day and warm during the cold desert night. A single meerkat group may share several burrows and move between them every few weeks.

Meerkats live in family groups called mobs or gangs. A mob usually has between 10 and 30 members. They work as a team, which is one reason they survive in such a harsh place. Every morning, the mob comes out of the burrow together. Some meerkats hunt for food while others stand guard.

The guard is called the sentry. It climbs onto a rock, a termite mound, or even a small bush and stands tall on its back legs. From there, it watches the sky and the ground for danger. If the sentry spots a hawk or a jackal, it gives a sharp bark. Scientists have found that meerkats use different calls for different threats. One bark means "eagle in the sky." Another means "snake on the ground." The rest of the mob knows exactly where to look.

Meerkats eat mostly insects, especially beetles and termites. They also eat spiders, lizards, small snakes, eggs, and roots. They are not afraid of scorpions. A meerkat will bite off a scorpion's stinger before eating the rest. Young meerkats have to be taught how to handle dangerous prey. Adults bring them dead scorpions first, then injured ones, then live ones. This is one of the clearest examples of teaching ever seen in wild animals.

Only one female in each mob, called the dominant female, usually has pups. The other adults, both males and females, help raise her babies. They babysit, feed them, and teach them to hunt. A meerkat pup can walk within a few days of being born but stays in the burrow for about three weeks. Meerkats in the wild usually live 7 to 10 years. They are not endangered, and their populations remain strong across southern Africa.