Slender-Tailed Meerkat

Riverview Park & Zoo

Say hello to the Riverview Park and Zoo mob of Slender-tailed Meerkats! Yes, a group of meerkats are called a mob. Meerkats are social mammals in the mongoose family that can be found in the dry plains and deserts of southern Africa.

In Afrikaans, one of the languages spoken in South Africa, the term ‘mierkatte’ can refer to both the meerkat and the yellow mongoose. In Afrikaans ‘mier’ means ‘ant’ and ‘kat’ means ‘cat’, which probably refers to the fact that meerkats often live alongside termite mounds and eat insects, among other things.

When it’s time to catch some zzz’s, meerkats don’t believe in personal space. Their burrows can be about 6 to 8 feet deep where they like to cuddle up. They will usually pile on top of each other in their sleeping chambers, snuggled on top of each other for warmth, in a big cuddle puddle!

This year’s Fun Run & Walk will raise funds to rebuild the outdoor meerkat enclosure. Join us for the morning on Saturday June 3rd to help the ongoing care for the meerkat mob.

https://2023riverviewparkzoofunrunandwalk.itsyourrace.com/register/

Find out more about the species that live at the only free-admission accredited zoo in Canada by visiting our website www.riverviewparkandzoo.ca

By Dawn Pond, Program Supervisor

Riverview Park and Zoo