MEERKAT
Suricata suricatta

DESCRIPTION:
Also known as the suricate, the name meerkat is Afrikaans. The English translation is "marsh cat", although they do not live near marshes and they are not cats. In fact, meerkats are members of the mongoose family.

They are social animals and live in colonies of up to forty individuals in family groups known as "gangs". The social structure of a gang of meerkats is divided into several important tasks. Its success as a colony is dependant on each adult carrying out the task at which it is most talented, so teamwork is essential.

The tasks:

• ALPHA MALE and ALPHA FEMALE: they are not the bosses of the gang. In fact there is little hierarchy within the group. They are the individuals who have most of the babies. The females will produce several litters throughout the year, each litter consisting of about three babies, called pups.
• BABYSITTERS: they stay close to the burrows and protect the pups while their parents are away hunting for food.
• HUNTERS: they hunt together in teams and share their prey with the other members of the gang.
• TEACHERS: they show the pups how to hunt and how to survive.
• GUARDIANS: they stand on their hind legs watching for predators such as birds of prey, jackals and hyenas.