#Meerkat Facts

[wild-wow-facts]

The Secret Life of Meerkats Revealed

Did you know that meerkats have a highly organized social structure? Discover their fascinating roles and teamwork!

Check out my other videos here: Animal Kingdom Animal Facts Animal Education

[naamahdarling]

You know what? You know what I think?

I think that if we lived as we were meant to, in larger intimate ("extended family") groups and with more shared labor and time to do it (UBI NOW) people like me would not feel so useless and burdensome because there would be people around to help and to do what neurodivergent people can't while making valuable space for the neurodivergent to do what they ARE good at.

The way we live right now, all right, the way we live right now forces units of two adults to be able to do EVERYTHING or PAY to have someone come do it for them. I have to do the housework. I have to do it! But I am having to do a million different things and most of them I am not good at. I suck at them.

I wouldn't feel like shit, okay, if I had more than one other person around who was not a child and who could do the things I can't, like do the yard and cook and do repairs and basic maintenance; and someone else to split everything else that I like but is too much for me. It would free me to do what I am good at and enjoy. Cleaning, as in the sink and toilet, the windows, the blinds. Taking out trash. Folding, hanging, and sorting laundry.

But because all the shit I can do often relies on other shit being done first, and I can't do or have trouble doing those things, the shit I can do often can't be done. And even the shit I can do, I can't do ALL of it. So I can't keep up, and things get very bad.

We aren't meant to live like this. We are not meant to live like this.

That thought hurts so much because being able to flee the birth family is integral to survival for so many people. I'm so afraid that living in larger family groups would create more opportunities for, say, queer kids to be isolated, rejected, bullied, and abused. But if we gave people enough money to survive, and stopped considering children the property of their parents with no system in place to help them escape bad situations except a system that is often just as bad, just different.

I'm aware that communes and collectives aren't all that successful and are kind of a joke. I don't mean that. I mean a fundamental shift to multigenerational families where taking in "strays" (which my family did) is also normalized so people escaping abuse into existing households was accepted, with these families centered in maybe a couple of different larger residences so not everyone has to buy and maintain their own fucking washing machine and vacuum cleaner, and so people can benefit from large group meals that yield leftovers, and so child and elder care can also be centralized.

Then disabled people and the neurodivergent and sick and injured people, and pregnant people, and grieving people, would not have to either labor through all those stressors or consign themselves to living off an unlivable pittance or being put under legal guardianship.

I'm not saying anything new. People live like this in other parts of the world and maybe it sucks and I am wrong. But I'm just really mad right now because I can either do laundry or clean the sink but not both, and I really think we could improve society somewhat by making it so I did not have to choose one without sacrificing the other.

[wizard-legs]

As a wee bairn I learned that meerkats use their tail as a “third leg” for extra support when standing on their hind legs, and that fun fact has never left my mind

[critter-captures]

Banded mongoose (Mungos mungo), family Herpestidae (mongooses)

Like other species of mongoose, banded mongooses have horizontally oriented oblong pupils. These pupils offer a wide field of view, and presumably help them spot potential dangers.

Dierenpark Zie-ZOO, taken June 2024

[animal-of-the-day]

can you do meerkats?

Animal of the day: Meerkats !

Thank you so much for this ask; I love meerkats immensely and my pet cat is actually called Meery :D

Here's some pictures I took in the summer when I went to an animal sanctuary !

Meerkats, also known by their Latin binomial Suricata suricatta, are a species of mongoose well-known for their small stature and cute behaviour. They are native to the south of Africa, and they live in the grasslands and deserts.

Meerkats are omnivores that eat a wide variety of foods such as fruits, insects, eggs, arachnids, plants, and even small reptiles and birds. They take it in turns to go out and search for food in the daytime to bring back to the nest and eat.

These little guys are social animals who live in groups (known as mobs) of up to 40 individuals in underground burrows. Each member plays its part in the community taking care of the young, gathering food, and staying alert for predators and potential threats. That's what they're doing when they stand up on their hindlegs like in the pictures I took !! If they notice any danger, they will squeal loudly to warn the others.

This is an interesting example of altruistic behaviour since the noise may cause the individual that made it to be targeted by the predator but it allows the rest of the mob to hide and therefore survive. Evolutionarily, this does not seem to make sense for the individual, as it would reduce its chance of staying alive compared to running and hiding without making any noise. But an explanation may be that every individual in a mob is usually related and therefore genetically similar to each other, so by sacrificing its own life to save its kin, this meerkat is allowing its genes to be passed on to the next generation through the other members of the mob.

[gay-artificer]

personally i imagine slugs are crow-smart while scavengers are closer to early humans. and crows are plenty smart!

Yeah thats a fine way to see it (and works well in game) When I say scav-smart I'm not talking one-to-one though, one of the big pitfalls we see with animal intelligence is really shortcutting animals based on if their intelligence reflects what we 'expect' intelligence to look like. A good example of these is tendencies to write insects off as 'dumber' animals when things like bees are fully capable of communicating complex information and wasps can do social assessments on 'much lower brainpower' than vertebrates. So for me slugcats are very smart little creatures and under the right conditions you can train or teach very complex topics but by and large their actual, natural behaviors and social dynamics are primitive looking! Which is how you get slugcats like gourmand who completely shift their behavior into something more scavenger-like for the sake of personal enjoyment, Artificer who not only has their mutation but can learn how to utilize it for custom weapon making, and then everyone else is pretty fine with comparatively simple tool use like batgrass or spears. Intelligence much less flashy than scavengers who enjoy decor, complex building and strong social dynamics.

[eukaryotesrool]

Meerkats

Suricata suricatta (mind the t) also known as a suricate.

(Meerkats may huddle together for warmth. Their burrows also provide much needed thermoregulation)

They're Feliforms, and the kat genuinely does mean cat, the word meerkat was used to reference a variety of small burrowing animals from Africa for quite some time. A possible origin for the word meerkat comes from Afrikaans, the word mierkatte or meerkatte can be used to refer to meerkats or the yellow mongoose, it means 'ant cat'.

(So wittle)

They hail from the family Herpestidae, making them a type of mongoose, they are one of the smallest mongoose, dwarf mongoose (genus Helogale) and maybe some species of Galerra are smaller than meerkats.

I imagine most of you heard the black spots around their eyes reduce glare, allowing them to spot their aerial predators, also, they have a strong venom immunity, useful as they sometimes make meals of scorpions and small snakes.

They also have a 19% conspecific (happening within a species) death rate, meaning they commit murder, a lot, we war monkeys and our war primate brethren were estimated to have a 2% conspecific death rate, which is high by the way, meerkats just so happen to have the highEST recorded conspecific death rate, kneel to the lords of murder.

(The murder lord council)

It is mostly infanticide, see, they have strict hierarchy which puts great value on giving birth. The dominant male and dominant female of a mob (group of meerkats) have children, a lot, depending on the how prosperous the year is, and the lowly subordinent meerkats ('plebkats' if you will) help to take care of them, and fulfil other roles of the mob, they have a very highly developed social system with up to 30 meerkats in a mob, and a large number of calls for different types of predators, passive contact calls, and more!

If a year is particularly prosperous the plebkats will be allowed to have some children, less than the supreme overlords of course (very generous)

(The one on the right looks silly)

Meerkats feed on a variety of prey, by and far butterflys, moths, and beetles make up the bulk of their diet, they get most the water they need from their prey, but in the dry seasons they'll eat fruit to get their necessary hydration.

They nest with other types of small burrowing animals, such as the yellow mongoose, most of these animals take up a different dietary niche, and therefore it they don't eat eachother's chow, they may or may not dig their own burrow.

(They can see your sins)

Considered least concern by the IUCN meerkats are often kept around by farmers because of how many Lepidopterans (order of butterflies/moths, they are often harmful to crops) they consume, though, they can carry rabies, various parasites, and more, so admire the adorable lords of murder from a distance.

[echoes-of-the-wild]

.· ´𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚕 𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚌𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚕𝚎𝚜☆´¨

our first animal post is about... 𝙖 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙧𝙠𝙖𝙩

look at this precious thing! (>⩊<)

let's learn some fun and lesser-known facts:

social structure - meerkats live in large family groups called "mobs" or "clans" (imagine being outside and getting mobbed by the "meerkat clan"), with up to 40 individuals. they have a strict hierarchy, where the dominant pair is in charge of breeding, while others take care of the pups.

communication - they have a complex system of vocalizations to communicate with each other, they use different calls for danger, to locate each other, or to signal when it's time to forage.

social grooming - meerkats engage in mutual grooming, where they pick through each other's fur to remove parasites. this helps maintain social bonds and keep the group healthy.

immune to venom - they are one of the few animals that can safely eat scorpions since they have developed a tolerance to scorpion venom.

thermoregulation - in the wild, meerkats are excellent at managing their body temperature. they often sunbathe on their bellies to warm up in the morning and use burrows to cool down during the heat of the day.

are there any cool facts you know about meerkats that you want to share? Don't be shy and share them in the replies!

Until next time Animal Appreciation Chronicles. Stay wild and keep loving our amazing animal friends!

[isabeauwolf]

I wanna get to know my peeps. So share one fun fact about yourself and pass it on. ;)

Me: My 2 favorite animals are wolves and meerkats!

[fon-master-ion]

yay I made good writing progress :) <- wrote ONE word in an already existing sentence

[haveafuckingfanfic]

I mean Hobie’s not wrong. Only thing is it probably didn’t kill a person, but another meerkat😅. Meerkats are homicidal maniacs.

*at a zoo*

Gwen: "What are they in for?"

Miles: "Gwen, this isn't prison. "

Pavitr: "So they can leave?"

Miles: "No, but- "

Hobie, pointing at a meerkat: "I bet that one murdered someone."

[juliehowlin]

World Meerkat Day

Meerkats are social animals which live in groups of anything from 15 to 50 individuals. A group of meerkats is known as a mob.

10 things you might not know about meerkats:

[yarniverse]

Did you know that Meerkats are immune to certain types of venom and can eat scorpions and snakes without getting hurt? That’s right! These little creatures are so tough that they can take down some of the deadliest predators in the animal kingdom. Imagine a Meerkat staring down a Cobra with a smirk on its face! 😜

Meerkat facts that will amaze your kids | Tropical World Leeds

[critter-captures]

Meerkat (Suricata suricatta), family Herpestidae (mongooses)

Though their English name, meerkat, comes from Dutch, their name in Dutch is completely different: stokstaartje, translating to stick-tail. Meerkat, in Dutch, instead refers to a tribe of Old World monkeys (Cercopithecini).

Ouwehands Dierenpark (1st picture), Dierenpark Zie-ZOO (middle 3 pictures), Beekse Bergen (last picture), taken June 2024 (Ouwehands & Zie-ZOO) & July 2024 (Beekse Bergen)

[cassiopeianscribe]

To all people who reblogged - from outsider perspective a lot of your usernames are genuinely cute or funny, so probably things were not that bad

Reblog and put in the tags the most embarrassing username you have ever used

[p0orbaby]

In the Wake of a Hurricane

summary: your hormones are driving you both increasingly insane

warnings: pregnancy stuff, suggestive ish, leah being a saint

a/n: request

word count: 1.6k

-

Leah has started to develop this twitch in her right eye. It comes and goes, like her patience. It’s not a permanent fixture, yet, but you suspect if she survives the next few weeks without needing a psychiatric evaluation, it’ll be nothing short of a miracle.

You're sitting on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket that could double as a small tent. Leah’s across the room, keeping her distance. She’s reading, or pretending to read, one of those pregnancy books that’s the size of a dictionary but probably less useful. It’s full of terms like Braxton Hicks and perineal massage, which you’re pretty sure are just euphemisms for you’re going to suffer, and there’s no escape.

You’ve been staring at her for the last ten minutes, silently stewing. She hasn’t noticed yet, which only makes you more annoyed.

“Leah,” you finally snap, like it’s her fault you’ve suddenly decided she’s the most irritating person on the planet.

She looks up, all innocent blue eyes and confused frown. “Yeah?”

“Why are you all the way over there?” you demand, even though five minutes ago, you’d told her to stop hovering because she was “being clingy.”

She hesitates, like she’s weighing her options. You can practically see the gears turning in her head, trying to figure out which answer will result in the least amount of yelling.

“You said you needed space,” she says carefully, like she’s explaining to a particularly volatile bomb why it shouldn’t go off.

“That was ages ago,” you huff, even though it was more like twenty minutes. “Now I want to be held”

She blinks, clearly surprised by the sudden shift. But she’s up and moving toward you before you can throw a fit about how slow she’s being. When she finally sits down next to you, you immediately nestle into her side, nuzzling your head into the crook of her neck. You sigh dramatically, like you’ve just found the meaning of life in her collarbone.

Leah relaxes, thinking she’s successfully navigated another hormonal minefield. Poor thing. She’s so blissfully unaware of what’s coming next.

Her arm wraps around you, and you’re content for all of thirty seconds before something in you flips, like a switch being flicked by a very cruel god. Suddenly, the feel of her skin against yours is unbearable. It’s like you’re being hugged by a furnace. You’re about three seconds away from ripping off all your clothes and throwing them out the window, which is probably not the most rational response, but hey, pregnancy.

“Ugh, get off,” you groan, pushing her away like she’s made of cactus.

Leah pulls back immediately, her eyes wide with confusion. “What’s wrong?”

“Too hot,” you mutter, flapping your hand at her like a cat that’s just had a bath. “Go away”

She hesitates, her hands hovering in the air like she doesn’t know what to do with them. You’d feel bad if you weren’t so irritated by the fact that she exists in the same room as you.

Leah stands up, clearly unsure of what the hell just happened. You’re in a huff, staring daggers at the TV because it’s easier than admitting that you’re not actually mad at her—you’re mad at your body, which seems to have its own agenda these days.

“I’ll, uh, go check on the washing,” Leah mutters, retreating to the relative safety of the utility room. You watch her go with a blend of annoyance and something that feels suspiciously like guilt.

When she’s gone, you sit there for a moment, glaring at the blanket like it’s personally offended you. Then, like a switch flipping back the other way, you realise you miss her.

A lot.

You want her back. Right now.

“Leah!” you call, your voice bouncing off the walls.

She pokes her head back into the room, looking like a cautious meerkat. “Yeah?”

“Come back,” you say, trying to sound casual, like you didn’t just shove her away like she was a sweaty footballer who’d lost a match.

She walks back in, taking tentative steps like she’s entering the lion’s den. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure,” you snap, though you’re really not. “Why wouldn’t I be sure?”

Leah looks at you, then at the sofa, probably trying to figure out the safest place to sit. You feel a pang of guilt because, honestly, you’re being a bit of a nightmare. But it’s not your fault. It’s the hormones. Or maybe it’s the baby. Yeah, let’s blame the baby.

She sits down next to you, but this time she doesn’t immediately try to touch you. Smart move.

You stare at her, trying to decide what you want. It’s a simple question, but lately, it feels like every answer is wrapped in layers of confusing emotions and unpredictable desires. Do you want to be touched, or do you want to punch something? Or maybe both?

“Can you, um... maybe... rub my back?” you ask, trying to sound as innocent as possible, which isn’t easy considering you’ve just done a complete 180 in the span of three minutes.

Leah stares at you for a second, clearly wondering if this is a trap. But then she nods and starts rubbing your back, gently, like she’s afraid of setting you off again. You sigh, melting into the touch, the irritation quickly replaced by something much warmer.

“That’s nice,” you murmur, your mood lifting almost instantly. Leah’s hands are magic, soothing the tension in your muscles. You close your eyes, practically purring under her touch. It’s heaven.

But, of course, your body has other plans. As soon as you start to relax, your brain—helped by the wonderful cocktail of pregnancy hormones—decides to take a sharp left turn into horny territory. Because why not?

Suddenly, Leah’s hands on your back feel less like a comforting gesture and more like a teaser for the latest blockbuster. Your skin tingles, your mind goes from zero to sixty, and now you’re wondering why she’s still rubbing your back when there are other, much more interesting places she could be touching.

You shift, turning to face her, eyes heavy-lidded and lips curving into a mischievous smile. Leah’s still rubbing your back, completely oblivious to the fact that you’ve mentally jumped from cuddly to carnal.

“Hey,” you say, your voice dropping into a lower register. Leah freezes, her hand stilling as she catches the change in your tone.

“What’s up?” she asks, clearly unsure whether she should be worried or excited.

“You’re really good at that,” you purr, leaning closer, letting your hand trail up her thigh. Leah swallows hard, her eyes flickering with confusion and interest.

“I, uh, thanks?” she says, her voice cracking just a little.

You smirk, enjoying the way she’s trying to keep up with the sudden shift in your mood. “You know what else would feel really good?”

Leah stares at you like a deer caught in the headlights of your hormones. “What?”

“Kissing me,” you say simply, giving her your best come-hither look. It’s not your finest work, but considering the circumstances, you think it’s pretty damn effective.

Leah blinks, clearly trying to process the fact that you’ve gone from not wanting to be touched to wanting to be thoroughly touched in about sixty seconds flat. But bless her, she’s a fast learner.

She leans in, pressing her lips to yours, and for a moment, everything is perfect. You’re lost in the kiss, your frustration melting away as your hormones do their job, flooding your system with endorphins.

But then, because the universe has a wicked sense of humor, something feels... wrong. The heat that was so welcome a second ago suddenly feels overwhelming. The tingling sensation turns irritating, and now you’re acutely aware of the fact that your skin is too tight, your clothes are too constricting, and you’re not sure if you want to keep kissing Leah or throw her out of the window.

You pull back, your mood crashing faster than a toddler on a sugar high. Leah looks at you, concern etched into her features, her lips still tingling from the kiss.

“What’s wrong?” she asks, like she’s bracing for impact.

You huff, frustrated with yourself more than anything. “I don’t know. I just—” You throw your hands up, exasperated. “Everything feels weird!”

Leah looks at you, trying to figure out the best course of action. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No!” you snap, then immediately soften. “Maybe? I don’t know”

She stares at you for a moment, then does something that surprises you: she laughs. Not a mocking laugh, but a warm, affectionate chuckle that’s so disarming it actually makes you smile, despite everything.

“What’s so funny?” you grumble, even though you’re starting to feel the corners of your mouth twitch upward.

“You,” she says, shaking her head, her smile only growing. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?”

You want to argue, but instead, you just sigh. “I know. I’m a mess”

“Yeah, but you’re my mess,” Leah says, pulling you back into a hug. This time, it feels just right, like maybe, just maybe, the storm of hormones has passed for now.

You lean into her, letting the comfort of her embrace wash over you. “Thanks for putting up with me”

“Always,” she replies, kissing the top of your head. “Even if you do change your mind every five minutes”

“Every three,” you correct, snuggling deeper into her side.

Leah laughs again, the sound vibrating through you and chasing away the last remnants of your irritation. You know you’ll probably be back to snapping at her in another hour, but for now, you’re content.