The meerkat or suricate Suricata suricatta, a small mammal, is a member of the mongoose family. Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana and in South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang" or "clan". A meerkat clan often contains about 20 meerkats, but some super-families have 50 or more members. Meerkats have an average life span of 12-14 years.
Ten Facts about Meerkat
- A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang", or "clan".
- Meerkats are immune to the poison from scorpions or snakes.
- Meerkats are a tasty treat for jackals, eagles, and falcons.
- Other names for meerkats include the slender-tailed meerkat and African suricate.
- The meerkat uses its tail for balance and as a signal.
- Meerkats can dig as much dirt as their own body weight in a couple seconds.
- They have length 10 to 14 inches, tail length is 7 to 10 inches.
- Generally founds in Bostswana, South Africa, Angola, and Namibia.
- 2 to 5 pups with a gestations period of 11 weeks.
- Meerkats spend a lot of time on guard watching for predators. When the guard meerkat senses danger it makes barking noises, otherwise will will make peeping noises when everything is ok.
