Teamwork makes the dreamwork

A vital role within a group of meerkats, or ‘mob’, is sentry duty. While the rest of the mob carry out their daily activities, such as foraging for food, caring for young and maintaining their den sites, the adult meerkats take turns keeping watch for predators. They will improve their vantage point by climbing on top of a tall rock or tree and standing on their back legs. Vision is their most developed sense, and they can spot predators more than 300m away!

If they do spot something, meerkats will use a range of vocalisations to let the group know what they’ve seen. In the wild, there is a specific sound for an eagle circling in the sky, and another for a jackal approaching on foot. These differences let the mob know how to respond; whether it is ducking out of sight under rocks or hiding deep in their burrows.

Do I look cool in my shades?

A native species in Southern Africa’s savannahs, meerkats are found across South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. This region gets little rainfall and summer temperatures can reach 40°C. While this can be uncomfortable for humans, meerkats have a few adaptations which help them thrive. Dark patches around their eyes act like natural sunglasses, helping reduce the glare of the sun. They use their front paws to dig cooler burrows deep underground and derive water from the plants and animals they eat.

Welcome to Meerkat Manor

These small burrowing animals live in large underground networks with multiple entrances, which they leave only during the day. If temperatures are too high, meerkats will return to the burrow to cool off. Their habitat at the Zoo provides substrate to encourage digging, so they can build their own! A meerkat can dig through a quantity of sand equal to its own weight in just seconds. Areas with elevation are provided to assist with natural behaviours like sentry duty.

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At the Zoo

You can find the meerkat mob digging for food on the Africa Safari Track. Our keepers make sure they stay engaged with enrichment items. These are designed to encourage their natural foraging behaviours and they also enjoy searching for their own insects in rotten logs we provide.

Video

Keeper Torey scatters food for the meerkat pups

See how the meerkat pups, that were born in March 2025, are learning to find their own food.

In the Wild

Origin: Southern Africa

Habitat: Meerkats are found in savannah, shrubland, grassland, and desert environments.

Conservation status: IUCN – Least Concern

How you can help

While meerkats are not endangered, they live in the wild alongside many species which are.

As a not-for-profit, we rely on our amazing supporters like you to be able to continue our conservation Wild Work for the world’s most vulnerable and at-risk animal species. Help wildlife in need by making a donation.