Slender-tailed Meerkats ~

Meerkats are small carnivores that live in underground burrows in southern Africa. They eat insects, grubs, and the small vertebrates in the wild. Mobs or groups of meerkats in the wild consist of around 10-15 members and include a breeding pair and their offspring. The females are the dominant members of the mob. They will band together and hiss in groups to chase off predators or competitors. One member of the group will always act as a sentinel, keeping an eye out for predators.

At the zoo, our mob consists of two meerkats, the dominant female, Nala, and her son, Rafiki. Most commonly, you will see Nala standing watch. We feed the meerkats a commercial zoo carnivore meat diet, as well as yams, hard dog chow, mealworms, hard boiled eggs, or crickets. For entertainment, the meerkats’ favorites are boxes, paper bags, pet tunnels, or anything else they can dig at or hide in! They also enjoy puzzle feeders where they search for mealworms. You can meet the meerkats by scheduling an Animal Encounter with them at the zoo!