Meerkats typically live in very arid areas. This means they typically receive the water they need from the foods they are able to eat. Family groups, which are called “clans,” assigned different roles to each member to take care of everyone.
For those assigned to defense, meerkats have different calls to indicate what type of threat the clan will be facing. Each clan has their own burrow with several different entrances and most are 3-5 meters in depth.
Interesting Facts About Meerkats
#1. Meerkats are considered omnivores. This is because they will eat certain bulbs or roots as well as snakes or lizards. Meerkats will also eat certain insects and scorpions. They are actually immune to the poisons that local spiders and scorpions produce.
#2. Within a clan, meerkats are able to identify specific voices. This helps them be able to identify what calls are coming out from each clan member who has been assigned a specific task. This is what allows them to work together so effectively.
#3. Meerkat clans are unique in the fact that one of the jobs that gets assigned is to take care of all the youngsters within the family unit. Think of it as the “babysitter” role. It is believed that the meerkat who doesn’t require food that day will be the one given this role. The babysitter gets paid with a portion of the gathered food for the day.
#4. Clans will also train their youngsters in certain tasks and skills, such as how to properly hunt down a scorpion. This helps them be able to identify the correct prey and how to disable it safely so it can be eaten later.
#5. A typical meerkat clan may consist of up to 50 different animals, each with a specific role that gets assigned. It’s a society that is ruled by a dominant female and she is the only meerkat in the clan that is given permission to reproduce. Other female meerkats that become pregnant will often be disbarred from the clan.
#6. Meerkats might seem smart, but that works against them sometimes too. The Africa drongo has figured out that if it makes a call that mimics the sounds of a meerkat, it can scavenge their food without as much work.
#7. Sometimes meerkats are referred to as a gang instead of a clan – and for good reason. They are very territorial creatures and any threat from a different group of meerkats will be dealt with immediately. Up to half of the adults in a clan will be killed if two clans end up fighting over specific territories.
Live Meerkat Cams
Meerkats have certain societal structures that mimic our own. This makes watching their interactions a fascinating experience. These are the top meerkat cams that are streaming right now.
View Busch Gardens Meerkat Cam.
View Cotswold Wildlife Park Cam.
View Zoological Society of London Meerkat Cam.
Watching meerkats in the wild can also be an educational experience. This cams show how cute, cuddly, and deadly a meerkat can be.
Meerkat Webcam at Oakland Zoo
This meerkat camera is located at the Oakland Zoo in California. It appears to be a still image cam, so you may need to reload to get the latest image.
View Live Webcam: Meerkat Webcam at Oakland Zoo
Meerkats Webcam at Knowsley Safari Park
Here you can watch a live Meerkat webcam located at Knowsley Safari Park in the UK. This is an excellent cam as it has streaming video.
View Live Webcam: Meerkats Webcam at Knowsley Safari Park
Marwell Zoo Meerkcat Webcam
This Meerkat webcam is located at the Marwell Zoo in the UK.
View Live Webcam: Marwell Zoo Meerkcat Webcam