Meerkat: habitat, behaviour and diet

« It watches the surroundings and keeps an eye out for the slightest danger »

The sentinel of the desert

A lookout barks to warn the group of danger

The meerkat is a small diurnal mammal that lives in the deserts and arid regions of south-western Africa. It belongs to the Herpestidae family. Often nicknamed the “sentinel of the desert”, it owes this name to the upright posture it adopts when standing on its hind legs. From this position, it scans the surroundings for any sign of danger.

Within each group, one individual is specifically assigned the role of lookout. Perched in a raised position, it carefully watches the sky for birds of prey and other predators. If it detects a threat, it alerts the rest of the group with a series of calls and barking sounds.

Meerkat - ZooParc's extraordinary animals

Beauval Nature Association

The conservation status of the meerkat is currently considered of “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Its population is also regarded as stable.

For more than 10 years, Beauval Nature has been working alongside conservation organisations in the field, supporting their essential mission to protect wildlife. Beauval contributes to numerous conservation and research programmes around the world, helping to study and safeguard threatened species. Every day, these efforts contribute to preserving biodiversity.

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A thriving species

At Beauval, you can observe meerkats in The Land of Lions and beside The African Savannah. When temperatures become too high or during rainy weather, the entire group retreats into its burrow or shelter, which remains visible through large viewing windows. At the end of the day, the colony often enjoys one final sunbath before returning underground for the night.

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Learn more about the species

Range

Africa

Diet

Carnivore
Gestation period

2½ months
Litter size

2 to 5 young
Habitat

Savannahs, Arid environments

Everyone has a role to play

The meerkat is a highly social animal that lives in mobs made up of several family groups. Within each mob, only the dominant breeding pair is allowed to reproduce. The other members take on equally essential responsibilities, including searching for food, caring for the young and defending the group against predators and rival clans. The dominant pair relies on “babysitters” to help raise the pups. They can produce up to three litters of three pups each year.

A remarkable defence strategy

In addition to the lookout standing guard, meerkats have an impressive range of defensive behaviours to protect themselves from predators. They may raise their fur, bare their teeth, lift their tails and hiss in an attempt to appear larger and more intimidating. If surprised by a ground predator such as a jackal, a meerkat rolls onto its back and defends itself with its teeth and claws while protecting its neck. If danger comes from above, mainly from eagles and falcons, the adults immediately throw themselves over the pups, shielding them beneath their bodies until the threat has passed.

A little arachnid for dessert?

Although carnivorous, the meerkat’s diet consists mainly of insects. It will also happily eat spiders, along with other invertebrates such as centipedes. Its menu also includes small vertebrates, including reptiles and birds.