The meerkat belongs to the order Carnivora and the Genus
Suricata. Native to Botswana
and South Africa,
meerkats live anywhere from 12 to 14
years. They reside in groups of 20 but can be a part of a super group or "mob"
of around 50 meerkats. The word "meerkat" is Dutch and means lake cat.
Meerkats are mongoose type animals and weigh less than two
pounds and are approximately 12 inches ling (minus their tails). Diurnals
mammals, meerkats are active during the day and spend their time involved in
complex social interactions. They have non retractable fingers and sharp claws
for burrowing. Their tails come to a point and their noses do too. Meerkats
have black fur around their eyes which help them deflect the hot African sun.
Considered insectivores, meerkats also dine on lizards,
spiders, snakes and eggs. Immune to a number of venoms including scorpion
venom, meerkats are well adapted to their desert savannah habitats. Meerkats
live in underground burrows and spend most of their time foraging for food.
They store no fat on their bodies and must eat constantly in order to survive.