Suricate meerkat
| Common name | Scientific name | Average weight of adult male | Average length or shoulder height | Diet | How do they live | Feeding time | Gestation period | Number of young at birth |
| Suricate | Suricata suricatta | 730 g | length 50 cm | carnivorous mostly insects | colonies | day | 2,5 months | 2-5 young |
Definitely one of my favourites, these lovable little creatures are very interesting.
They live in colonies of 6 or more. They only feed during daytime and forage together and they constantly chatter amongst themselves. They always post out sentries to warn them when a bird of prey or other predator approaches. They take turns in doing this and would always get to the highest look out point. They would even climb into a shrub or tree. They would sit up there and you'll just see that little head constantly turning around while they scan the air and surroundings. When anything interests the meerkat they would stand on their hind legs and use their tail for balance.
With the slightest hint of danger and alarm from the sentries, they would all scatter for cover.
They live in burrows and sometimes share these with ground squirrels or yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata)