Meerkat
Suricata suricatta
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Range and habitat:
Inhabits all parts of the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa, and dry open country in southwestern Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa.
Natural diet:
Insects, lizards, small snakes, birds, eggs, and mice.
Size / weight range:
Head and body is between 9.75 and 11.75 inches.
Tail is between 7.5 and 9.5 inches long.
Can weigh up to 1.5 pounds.
Interesting Facts:
Meerkats have small, black, crescent-shaped ears that close when they dig to prevent sand from entering their ear canals.
A group of meerkats is called a "mob" or "gang".
Meerkats are members of the mongoose family.
Meerkats hunt during the day.
They live at night in burrows, which are complex tunnel systems consisting of mounds, access holes, and tunnels which lead to numerous sleeping chambers.
Meerkats are not endangered.
Location at The Toledo Zoo:
The African Savanna exhibit.
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