Meerkat
Meerkat Facts
Size | 10-14 inches (24-35 cm) (body length) |
Speed | Up to 20 mph (32 km/h) |
Weight | 1.4-2 pounds (620-970 g) |
Lifespan | 10-14 years |
Food | Insects, snails, rodents, eggs, reptiles |
Predators | Falcons, jackals, snakes |
Habitat | South of Africa |
Order | Carnivore |
Family | Mongooses |
Scientific name | Suricata suricatta |
Characteristics | Small predator, often stands on its hind legs |
Main Characteristics
Meerkats are small predatory mammals that live in hot, dry savannahs of Africa. Their most eye-catching characteristics are the dark circles around their eyes, their thin body and their long claws. They live in groups and often stand on their hind legs to look for predators while foraging.
Distribution and Habitat
Meerkats live in Africa, mainly in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Angola. They prefer dry landscapes such as savannahs and semi-deserts where there is only short grass.
Adaptation to the Habitat
Meerkats are perfectly adapted to their habitat. Here are the five most important adaptations:
- Dark circles protect their eyes against the bright sun like sunglasses
- They're safe from predators in underground burrows
- They close their ears to prevent sand from getting in while digging
- The light fur protects them against the hot sun and is a good camouflage
- They're immune to the venom of scorpions and spiders
Life Style
Meerkats are diurnal predators. When getting up in the morning, they first have a quick look outside their burrow to make sure there are no enemies waiting for them at the entrance. Then they gather some food, repair the burrow or enjoy a sunbath to warm up. They are very social and live in groups of up to 30 animals. They spend most of their time looking for food, a mate or playing. In a group, the females are in charge, but there is always a “ruling” couple.
Anatomy and Appearance
Size and Weight
Meerkats have a body length of 10-14 inches (24-35 cm). The tail is 7-10 inches (19-24 cm) long. They weigh 1.4-2 pounds (620-970 grams).
Body
Meerkats have long, thin bodies and short, powerful legs. The ears are small and round.
Eye Circles
Why do meerkats have dark fur around their eyes? The dark circles provide protection against the dazzling sunlight.
Paws and Claws
Meerkats have powerful forepaws and long claws that allow them to dig deep tunnels with ease.
Meerkat or Prairie dog – What’s the Difference?
Meerkats and prairie dogs have a lot in common: They have the same height, weight, coat color, and they both use burrows. A pretty noticeable difference, however, are the dark circles around their eyes. Prairie dogs don't have any. Additionally, meerkats are predators and prairie dogs are rodents. They also live in completely different places. Meerkats live in Africa and prairie dogs in America.
Diet
What Do Meerkats Eat?
Meerkats feed primarily on insects such as beetles and butterflies. However, they also eat eggs, amphibians, reptiles, small birds, plants and seeds. Their diet is very diverse. Nevertheless, meerkats aren't considered omnivores, but rather carnivores.
Is it True That Meerkats Eat Voisonous Animals?
Yes, meerkats also eat venomous snakes and scorpions. Did you ever wonder how they prey on them and eat them without being poisoned? They have a pretty useful ability: they're immune (= insensitive) to most snake and scorpion venoms.
Behavior
Why Do Meerkats Stand on Their Hind Legs?
Meerkats love to climb rocks, termite mounds or bushes and stand on their hind legs to see as much of their surroundings as possible. They keep an eye out for enemies such as jackals, eagles and hawks.
Meerkats Take Turns Looking For Predators
Looking for predators and searching for food at the same time is exhausting and dangerous. However, meerkats are smart and found a clever way to fix the problem: they distribute the tasks among themselves. While some are on the lookout for predators, others can search for food without any worries. The guards give a specific call at the beginning of their “shift”. When the coast is clear, a slow, steady peep can be heard.
What Do They Do When Enemies Approach?
When enemies are in sight, the guards start barking or whistling. This is a signal for everyone to quickly run to the nearest burrow to get to safety.
Defense
Meerkats aren't good at defending themselves against predators. When in danger, they flee to the nearest burrow. However, if it's too far away, they still have a backup plan: They lie down on their backs, show their teeth and spread their claws. They play dead, hoping the attacker isn't interested in carrion.
Are Meerkats Dangerous?
Meerkats are very social. They have an adorable appearance and seem to be friendly. However, they're surprisingly aggressive. They have sharp teeth and can deliver a powerful hard. A fight between two meerkats can even end fatally. Can such a small animal pose be dangerous for a human? Yes. Meerkats are very brave and aren't afraid to attack a human if they feel threatened. A bite wound may not be life-threatening, but it could can become infected.
Communication
Meerkats make a variety of sounds. They bark, whistle, peep, growl, chuckle and purr. They have a “contact call” to prompt responses from fellow group members. Recently, scientists discovered that they also produce a „short note“ to tell their fellow group members of their presence. They're alternatingly calling out “I’m here, I’m here!“. This is crucial for their survival, ensuring the group is together and aware of potential threats.
Drinking
Meerkats inhabit extremely hot and dry environments. How do they manage to find water? Don't they constantly suffer from dehydration? The answer, surprisingly, is: they don't need any water at all. They meet their water needs by eating insects.
Cooling Down and Warming Up
Meerkats have light-colored fur that reflects the sun's rays, making the heat more bearable. However, when they are cold, they lie on their backs because they have black skin under their belly fur. It absorbs the heat from the sun and stores it.
Burrow
Size
An average meerkat burrow is 16 feet (5 meters) long and has 15 entrances and exits. There are also numerous tunnels and chambers. They lie at a depth of up to 6.5 feet (2 meters). A group usually inhabits five independent burrows at the same time.
Temperature
No matter whether it is cold or hot outside, the temperature in the lower parts of the burrow is always comfortable.
New Burrows
Every few months, they build a new burrow, and then it's time to dig all over again.
Senses and Abilities
They Can Close Their Ears
Meerkats are very skilled at digging and building burrows. To prevent sand from getting into their ears while digging, they can close them beforehand.
Memory
Meerkats have a really good memory. They remember the exact location of many burrows in their head.
Climbing
Meerkats often climb mid-high bushes and trees to get a better overview of their surroundings. However, they never climb all the way up to the treetop, because they're not particularly skilled at climbing. There aren't many tall trees in their habitat anyway, so this ability would be of little use to them anyway.
Swimming
Meerkats can swim, but they are not very adept at it. After all, this ability isn't important for their survival because there are hardly any rivers or lakes in their habitat.
Life Expectancy
In the wild, meerkats live 5-15 years.
Enemies and Threats
Natural Predators
The natural enemies of meerkats are primarily jackals, eagles and hawks.
Reproduction
Meerkats mate all year round. Most puppies are born in the rainy season. At birth, they weigh just 3.5 ounces (100 grams). Their eyes and ears are closed. After two weeks they open up and after four weeks they dare to go outside for the first time. Their mums bring them scorpions with their tails bitten off to show them how to kill dangerous animals without getting hurt. After all, the sting can still cause nasty wounds - even if they're immune to the venom
Can Meerkats Be Pets?
Meerkats are funny little guys. No wonder many people want to keep them as pets. While it is technically legal to own them, owning them comes with legal obligations that can make it extremely challenging or even impossible for most people. Requirements include, for example, a 130 square feet (12 square meters) heatable enclosure for a couple. They also need species-appropriate food and must be able to dig tunnels and caves.
Fun Facts
In German
In German, the word for meerkat is "Erdmännchen." This comes from the words "Erd" meaning soil and "Männchen" meaning little guy - because they're little guys digging burrows into the ground.
The Meerkat Is Related To:
- Mongoose
Animals in the Same Biome:
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Sources:
- Sources: "Meerkat chit-chat" (https://www.campus.uni-konstanz.de/en)