The Meerkats By : Amber Davis

General Information Meerkats fit into the vertebrate group of mammals. The meerkat’s scientific name is Suricata suricatta. The lifespan of a meerkat is up to 10 years.

Physical Characteristics A meerkat has a pale, sand colored coat that provides good camouflage. Meerkats weigh 2-4 ounces, but the female is larger than the male. A meerkat’s head and body are inches long and their tails are inches long. Meerkats are covered in fur. Meerkats have 4 very long, strong claws on each forepaw for digging. Meerkats also have a long slender body that helps it slip quickly into their burrows.

Habitat Meerkats live in dry plains and semi deserts of Southern Africa. There are dead bushes and termite mounds where they can look for predators. Daytime temperatures can rise above 129 degrees Fahrenheit. Even in basking heat the meerkat still stays alert.

Behaviors Meerkats mainly eat insects, but when meerkats smell food they start digging. The hole might have 2 geckos or a small rodent. Two meerkats might team up and kill it. Meerkats get their food by digging into a hole that their prey had made to hide. Meerkats give birth to live young and they give birth once a year. Meerkats can have 2-5 babies, but they usually have 4.

Interesting Facts Meerkats take turns to watch out for predators while the others forage. They will stand up on their hind legs and use their tails as a third leg. Meerkats have sharp eyesight with good color vision so they can stare into a bright sky and spot birds of prey. Meerkats will attack snakes to drive them away from their burrows. Meerkats even attack poisonous snakes even though they aren’t immune to venom.