Slender-tailed meerkat (Suricata suricata)
Slender-tailed meerkat Scientific name: Suricata suricata Country: South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Niger, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Uganda. Continent: Africa Diet: Insects - insectivore, insect larvae - larvivore, insect pupae - pupivore, tubers (for moisture) - radicivore, fruits - frugivore. In the Zoo they are given insects (crickets and mealworms), dead chicks, mice, sprats, minced meat, chopped fruit, dog biscuits and a specially balanced diet supplement. Food & feeding: Omnivore Habitats: Tropical grassland, desert and semi-desert Conservation status: Not Threatened Relatives: Dwarf mongoose, Banded mongoose Description: One of the most characterful small mammals. They are only about 24 cm long with a 20 cm tail and weigh only a few hundred grammes, yet their character is much bigger. Their bodies are rather skinny and their limbs slender. Their eyes are surrounded by black smudges, which may help to limit the glare of the sun in the desert. A series of dark bands runs across the back. They often stand up straight on their rear legs, with front legs held neatly in front of their chests. Lifestyle: Meerkats are active by day, taking shelter in their warm burrows against the chill of the night. The burrows are complex and may have up to 90 entrances and several different levels. They usually stay within sprinting distance of this burrow complex, but launch food-hunting missions out into the surrounding area. Together they will cheerfully attack potentially dangerous prey such as scorpions, returning to the burrow with choice items of food to feed the young. Family & friends: They are sociable animals, living in groups of about 10-20, and they take turns to act as look-out from a high branch or rock, warning the rest of the group of any approaching danger. Their main enemies are birds of prey. They often stand up on hind legs.
Size: 5120px × 3407px
Photo credit: © Élan Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: animal, banded, dwarf, mammal, meerkat, mongoose, simples, slender, slender-tailed, suricata, tailed
