Meerkat

The meerkat is a small member of the mongoose family, with a body length of only 35cm (13.8in) long. It can be identified by its slim build, broad head, thin tail and brindled patterning on its fur. Its long, curved foreclaws are used for digging and its large eyes give it binocular vision, allowing it to see predators from great distances away. Meerkats are primarily insectivores, with a strong preference for beetles, but they will eat other animals and plants. They are mostly active in early morning and late afternoon, taking shelter in large burrow systems.

The meerkat is most commonly found in arid regions of southern Africa, such as the Kalahari Desert. They are extremely social animals, living in groups of up to 30 individuals with a clear dominance hierarchy. Dominant females will give birth to a litter of up to seven pups, which the lower-ranking non-breeding individuals will help care for. Each day, a meerkat pack will spend up to eight hours a day foraging for food, with some individuals acting as sentries to spot approaching danger. A wild meerkat may live for up to 15 years.