Meerkat
Desert
Meerkats live in groups of up to 30. One meerkat always stands on its back legs to keep watch, and when danger comes, it calls out loudly to warn the family.
Quick facts
- Habitat
- It lives in the savannas and semi-deserts of southern Africa.
- Diet
- It eats insects, scorpions, reptiles, and eggs.
- Size and weight
- Length 25–35cm, weight 0.6–1kg.
- Lifespan
- About 12–14 years
- Conservation status
- Least Concern
- Fun facts
- It's tough enough to survive a sting from a venomous scorpion!
The dark patches around its eyes are natural sunglasses that cut the sun's glare.
Learn more
The desert sentry, a surprising twist behind a cute face
The amazing survival secrets of the meerkat that we never knew
Small but tough survivor of the desert
A body optimized for the harsh Kalahari Desert
- A dainty build — about 24–35cm, similar in size to a cat.
- A slim body — a streamlined build for quick, nimble running.
- Natural sunglasses — black patches around the eyes block harsh sunlight glare.
No gender bias among sentries
Findings from a recent study at the University of Zurich
- Age and sex have no bearing on who's chosen to stand guard.
- More experienced meerkats stand guard twice as long as others.
- The group trusts its "veteran sentries," saving energy as a result.
A hunter unafraid of deadly venom
A tough diet, the exact opposite of its cute looks
- Scorpion hunting — the skill of quickly dodging a scorpion's sting.
- An insect killer — an excellent sense of smell for finding insects and larvae.
- Getting hydrated — when water is scarce, it gets moisture from wild melons.
Over 30 complex sounds
A sophisticated communication system currently being analyzed with AI
- Alarm calls — convey both the type of predator and the level of urgency at once.
- Close calls — help members keep track of each other's location while moving, to avoid getting separated.
- Bioacoustics research — this highly structured language is currently being analyzed using AI.
An absolute queen ruling the group
A strict, ruthless matriarchal society built for survival
- A meerkat group is ruled by the strongest, dominant female (the queen).
- In principle, only the queen has the right to breed within the group.
- If another female tries to breed, she's ruthlessly driven out of the group.
A child raised by the whole village
Cooperative breeding for survival in the harsh desert
- Volunteer nannies — other females nurse and care for the queen's pups.
- Devoted uncles — males become dedicated protectors, going beyond standing guard to actively shield the pups.
- Hunting lessons — adults teach the young how to safely hunt dangerous scorpions.
A massive maze beneath the desert
An underground network built by shovel-like claws
- They dig efficiently using the 2cm curved claws on their front paws.
- Burrows 2–5m underground act as a natural heating and cooling system for the desert.
- With as many as 15 exits, this vast tunnel network lets them completely evade predators.