Room 6 @ Tamaki Primary

Meerkats

Meerkats are part of the Mongoose Family. When Jackals and Eagles are hungry Meerkats huddle together to stay protected. Their scientific name is succinct or surricatta but the Meerkat name means “ lake cat”.

Meerkats have short legs and pointy faces. On their faces they have black patches. Did you know they have a long striped and slim tail. Meerkats have stripes on their backs. They are as small as a shoe box which should be 12 inches. A Meerkat looks like this.

As strange as it may seem that Meerkats eat Scorpions , Beetles , Termites , eggs and , things. They actually bite off the Scorpions tail with their teeth before eating them. They even eat snakes! Meerkats dig holes for their food.

Meerkats live in Kalahari Desert where there is dry sand. As you can see Meerkats live in South Africa where there is water (Meerkats hate getting wet!). They love living in hot places.

Did you know that Meerkats are hard working. They work hard to look after other Meerkats. They always dig.

Finally did you know that Meerkats do not like being alone and they live in groups of up to forty. They also scare of their predators by grouping together and making a barking noise.



By Leili Bender