MEERKAT
Suricata Suriatta
SIZE: 24 – 35cm
WEIGHT: 0.62 – 0.97Kg
DIET: Eggs, cat food and vegetables.
LIFE SPAN: 12 – 14 years in captivity
CONSERVATION STATUS:
DISTRIBUTION:
DID YOU KNOW?
A meerkat can dig through
a quantity of sand equal to its
own weight in just
seconds.
Dry open tropical grassland, semi-desert and desert.
Dark patches around their eyes help cut down on the sun’s glare. Long, horizontal pupils give them a wide range of vision for seeing predators.
Meerkats have thin fur and dark skin on their stomachs that helps them
control body temperature.
• Meerkats use at least 10 vocalisations including an alarm bark and threatening growl.
• In South Africa, meerkats are often kept to kill rats and mice around homes.
