IUCN: least concern

• Meerkats have pointed snouts, low-set ears and strong, powerful digging claws.
• Meerkats usually live in a group of 10 to 30 animals from several families, with a female in charge of each smaller family unit.
• Most of the meerkat’s day is spent foraging for food in groups.  While this is going on, at least one meerkat takes the job of lookout for the whole group, watching out for predators.
• They are very vocal creatures and use at least ten different sounds to communicate with others in the group.
• Wellington Zoo was the first Zoo in New Zealand to have meerkats. We’ve had meerkats at the Zoo since 1991.
• The black coloration around their eyes acts like natural sunglasses and helps protect against the constant glare of the sun.
• Each Meerkat has special duties that benefit the group. The babysitter stays close to the burrow with youngsters under their care. The sentries will scan the horizon and sky for predators and the hunters will dig for food, some of which will be given to the young. A teacher will show a juvenile how to hunt.
• When meerkats face the threat of a rival group they begin digging up the ground to create clouds of dust to distract their aggressor.