Slender-tailed Meerkat

Did you know?
that one meerkat always stays on guard while the others sleep, forage or do any other activity where they can't possibly watch out for themselves. Meerkat predators include animals like eagles and jackals.

Photo Copyright by
Jan Mehlich

Why do zoos keep this animal

Meerkats are not an endangered species. They are however very attractive animals, and because they are always busy and display an interesting social life, are an ideal species for educational purposes. Meerkat exhibits may be combined with underground tunnels and look-outs for children allowing them to play meerkat, which are important means to awake a positive attitude towards animals and nature. Meerkats may be kept in mixed exhibits, e.g. together with rock dassies, small antelopes, like steenbok, or hornbills.

How this animal should be kept

The highly social nature of meerkats and the instability of their social structure as it is recreated in zoos tend to make management of the species extremely difficult. Husbandry and environmental requirements are relatively straight forward for this species but it is the enclosure requirements that may have the most affect on the success of their management in Human care.

Meerkats are social animals, which should be kept in groups of up to 40 animals, usually starting from a pair or a small group of compatible animals. In temperate and cold climates, they must have both an indoor and an outdoor enclosure. Minimum requirements per pair: indoors surface 8 m², for each additional animal 10% more, outdoor enclosure 16 m², for each additional animal 10% more. Considering that groups of animals that are overpopulating their space have a greater tendency to have social challenges leading to more difficult management, it is recommended however to design enclosures where meerkats will spend at least 70% of their normally active time much larger, about 30 m² for the first two animals, adding 25% more space for each additional adult.

Indoor room temperature must be at least 15°C, and humidity should be kept as low as possible. Hot spots (radiators) should be provided indoors and outdoors.

Meerkat enclosures must be furnished with communal sleeping areas with internal nest/den boxes, food and water stations, and covered sleeping/hiding spots, which should be located on the ground. Other relevant features of meerkat enclosures are look-outs and basking spots. Visual barriers are very important for the good functioning of meerkat groups. Meerkats benefit from visual barriers such as deadfall, rockwork, etc. which allows more subordinate individuals to escape from constant monitoring by more dominant individuals.

Natural materials should be chosen as substrates for meerkats because they allow for natural digging behaviour, are easy on their feet, and certain materials will help to maintain good nail condition and length. Substrates can be placed on concrete floors to facilitate periodic cleaning; in this case, all substrate should be removed at least once a year for cleaning and disinfecting of the surface below. Where it is not possible to provide sufficient natural substrate, a digging area with drainage is recommended. Hollow logs may also serve this purpose.

Food should consist of mice, one-day old chicks, chopped meat, scattered eggs, insects, worms and chopped fruit. The animals must at all times have access to clean drinking water.

All faecal material and unconsumed food should be removed daily. Sanitation of feeding stations should take place at least every other day, daily is preferred. Sanitation of water containers, including bowls, water bottles, and other water features should take place at least weekly. Sanitation of latrine areas should take place at least once weekly, more often if necessary. Meerkats scent mark their enclosure. When cleaning, some of the scent-marking areas should not be sanitized.