Meerkats

Originally from Africa, this little burrowing mammal is a member of the mongoose family, it is also known as a Suricate.

Meerkats live in large underground networks with multiple entrances, leaving only during the day.

Meerkats are primarily insectivores (which means they eats insects), but they also eat lizards, snakes, scorpions, spiders, plants, eggs, small mammals, millipedes, centipedes and more rarely, small birds.

Meerkats often live in groups of about 20 but some super families can have up to 50 or more called a "Mob", "Gang" or a "Clan". The alpha female is the boss of the mob.

Adult meerkats teach their pups how to eat venomous scorpions by they removing the stinger so the pup can safely learn how to handle the creature.

While the "Mob" forages for food one meerkat will stay on guard this is known as a "Sentry". The sentry will watch for predators such as jackdaws, birds of prey and some snakes. Sentry duty is usually an hour long.

Meerkats forage for food using their claws to dig, they can dig out their own body weight in dirt just hunting for one insect.

Extremely social animals meerkats often bond by regularly grooming each other, this helps strengthen their relationships with the other members of the mob.

Pregnancy lasts for about 11 weeks, the most common size litter will be 3 pups. There are often designated baby sitters who protect the young, even if not their own offspring.