---
title: "What the sources say about the Meerkat | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "49 claims from the Meerkat profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
image: "https://animaltracks.wiki/images/animals/meerkat-1.webp"
canonical: "https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/meerkat/sources/"
---

# What the sources say about the Meerkat (*Suricata suricatta*)

> 49 claims from the Meerkat profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [Meerkat](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/meerkat/)

## Suricata suricatta (meerkat). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Suricata_suricatta/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| A meerkat is small and slight | Meerkats are one of the smallest species of mongooses (note: 'slight' is the same account's 'with slender bodies') |
| each foot carries four long, non-retractable claws | Meerkats have 4 long, curved claws on each foot. |
| A 1994 study found insects made up 82 percent of their diet, with spiders, centipedes, millipedes, reptiles, amphibians, and birds filling out the rest | A study in 1994 reported that meerkats consumed mostly insects, which make up 82% of their diet, but also consumed spiders (7%), centipedes (3%), millipedes (3%), reptiles (2%), amphibians (2%), and birds (1%). |
| They dig holes deep enough to trap whistling geckos and giant ground geckos | They dig holes deep enough to trap geckos, particularly whistling geckos (Ptenopus garrulous) and giant ground geckos (Chondrodactylus angulifer). |
| They also eat several kinds of scorpion | Meerkats also eat a variety of scorpions in the genera Opistophtalmus and Parabuthus. |
| have been seen disabling one with a bite, then eating it head first | They have been observed biting their prey - specifically scorpions - to disable it and then begin eating it starting at the head. |
| Meerkats rarely need to drink: they get their fluids from their prey instead | Meerkats rarely drink water, instead obtaining fluids through their prey. (note: 'need' rests on San Diego's 'Able to survive without drinking water') |
| Meerkats mob some of their predators as a group, Cape cobras included | Meerkats actively deter some of their predators, such as jackals and cape cobras, by mobbing as a group. |
| their mobs range across the dry, open plains, grasslands, and scrub of Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa | extending southeast into Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa (note: habitat words from the same account: 'arid or semi-arid open plains' and velds 'covered by scrub, grasses, and sparse trees'; the National Zoo: 'dry, open plains, savannas and grasslands') |
| Dry, open plains, grasslands, and scrub across Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa, including the Kalahari Desert | Many observations of meerkats have been made in the southern region of the Kalahari Desert, which spreads throughout most of Botswana, western Namibia, and northern South Africa. (note: stats.habitat; habitat words as in the body range claim above) |
| Mostly insects, plus scorpions, spiders, millipedes, small reptiles, geckos, eggs, and fruit or roots for moisture | Meerkats are carnivores and are primarily insectivorous, though they also eat other arthropods and some small vertebrates. (note: stats.diet; component items are the same claims as the diet section above) |

## Meerkat. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/meerkat

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| adults run about 24 to 29 centimeters (9 to 11.5 inches) long | Length: 9 to 11.5 inches (24 to 29 centimeters) (note: ADW (Hill 2023) agrees at 245 to 290 mm head to rump; the National Zoo gives 25 to 35 cm) |
| weigh just 620 to 969 grams (1.4 to 2.1 pounds) | Weight: 1.4 to 2.1 pounds (620 to 969 grams) |
| Dark patches around each eye work like built-in sunglasses, cutting down the sun's glare | Dark patches around their eyes cut down on the sun's glare (note: 'sunglasses' is the profile's own simile for what the source describes as cutting sun glare) |
| non-retractable claws built for digging | very long, nonretractable claws to help them dig |
| meerkats usually move into burrows dug by other animals, such as ground squirrels | Although they are excellent diggers, meerkats usually live in burrows dug by other wildlife, such as ground squirrels. |
| These average 15 entrances and exits, with tunnels and chambers on several levels, some as deep as 2 meters (6.5 feet) | These burrows have an average of 15 entrance and exit holes, with tunnels and chambers at several levels, some as deep as 6.5 feet (2 meters). |
| the deeper tunnels stay at a steady, comfortable temperature whether it is hot or cold outside | The deeper tunnels stay at a constant, comfortable temperature, whether it's hot or cold outside. |
| Meerkats live in mobs of up to 40 | large groups of up to 40 individuals called a gang or a mob (note: sources disagree on the maximum: the National Zoo says 'as many as 30', ADW (Hill 2023) '2 to 50'; San Diego's current figure sits between them and is kept) |
| while the others forage, one adult stands sentry on the highest rock or mound it can find, upright on its hind legs | adults take turns acting as guard while the others can look for food without worries. The guard climbs to the highest rock, termite mound, or bush he or she can find, stands upright on two legs |
| A low, steady peeping called the "watchman's song" means the coast is clear | It makes a low, constant peeping, known as the "watchman's song," when all is well. (note: 'means' paraphrases a call given 'when all is well') |
| spotting a predator switches it to a bark or whistle, with separate calls for danger on the ground and danger from the air | If a predator is spotted, the guard alerts the others with a bark or whistle. There are different calls for land predators and for those coming from the air. |
| A mother meerkat brings her pups scorpions with their tails already bitten off, so they can learn to kill them without getting hurt | She even brings home scorpions with their tails bitten off, so the young can learn how to kill them without getting hurt. |
| Meerkats hunt small prey, some of it dangerous | they are able to kill and eat venomous snakes and scorpions (note: 'small' is ADW's 'primarily insectivorous, though they also eat other arthropods and some small vertebrates') |
| Adults have some immunity to a scorpion's sting, though its large pincers can still do plenty of damage | While adult meerkats have some immunity to scorpion stings, a scorpion's large pincers can still do plenty of damage |
| Venomous snakes are a job for the whole mob | Meerkats have been known to kill venomous snakes, but they don't accomplish this task alone |
| they do not tolerate any snake in their midst: the mob attacks at once, biting the snake wherever it can, and the snake soon tires and is overwhelmed | meerkats do not tolerate any snakes in their midst. They attack simultaneously and bite the snake wherever possible. It doesn't take long for the snake to tire and become overwhelmed by the unrelenting gang. |
| To larger carnivores, especially jackals, eagles, and falcons, a meerkat is a tasty treat | they are a tasty treat for larger carnivores, especially jackals, eagles, and falcons |
| meerkats typically live to about 10 years old | For meerkats in human care, median life expectancy is almost 10 years. (note: the Smithsonian's National Zoo page independently agrees: 'Meerkats live for about 10 years in human care.' ADW's captive 12.5 to 20.6 years is AnAge data; the current institution pages win) |
| Sentinel shifts on its hind legs, glare-cutting eye patches, and some immunity to a scorpion's sting, just enough to make it lunch | they are able to kill and eat venomous snakes and scorpions without being hurt, as they have some immunity to the venom (note: tagline; the sentinel and eye-patch claims are the same as their body/FAQ entries above) |
| One adult stands sentry while the rest of the mob forages, climbing to the highest rock or mound it can find and standing upright on its hind legs | adults take turns acting as guard while the others can look for food without worries. The guard climbs to the highest rock, termite mound, or bush he or she can find, stands upright on two legs (note: FAQ 1) |
| A steady, low peeping called the "watchman's song" means all is well | It makes a low, constant peeping, known as the "watchman's song," when all is well. (note: FAQ 1; 'means' paraphrases a call given 'when all is well') |
| Spotting a predator switches the sentry to a bark or whistle, with a different call depending on whether the danger is coming from the ground or the air | If a predator is spotted, the guard alerts the others with a bark or whistle. There are different calls for land predators and for those coming from the air. (note: FAQ 1) |
| A pup's mother, or another adult in the mob, teaches it what to eat | Young meerkats do not know what kind of food to eat, so their mother or another adult teaches them. (note: FAQ 3) |
| The mother brings home food and leaps around in front of the pups until they take it from her mouth | Mom brings home whole food such as an insect or lizard and leaps around in front of the pups until they take the food from her mouth. (note: FAQ 3) |
| bringing one home with its tail already bitten off, so the pups can learn to kill it without getting hurt | She even brings home scorpions with their tails bitten off, so the young can learn how to kill them without getting hurt. (note: FAQ 3) |
| Adult meerkats have some immunity to a scorpion's sting, but its large pincers can still do plenty of damage, and pups have to learn to handle this dangerous food carefully | While adult meerkats have some immunity to scorpion stings, a scorpion's large pincers can still do plenty of damage, and the pups have to learn to deal carefully with this dangerous food item. (note: FAQ 3) |
| the meerkat on guard keeps up a low, constant peeping, the "watchman's song," for as long as all is well | It makes a low, constant peeping, known as the "watchman's song," when all is well. (note: vibe.reason (settle #954)) |

## Meerkat. Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/meerkat

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| a tail that adds another 18 to 25 centimeters | their tails are almost as long as their bodies at 7 to 10 inches (18 to 25 centimeters) |
| meerkats also eat eggs | will also eat small vertebrates, eggs and some plant matter |
| sometimes chew on tsama melons or dig up roots for water | They may chew on tsama melons and dig up roots for water. |

## Jordan & Do Linh San (2015). Suricata suricatta. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T41624A45209377.

https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2015-4.rlts.t41624a45209377.en

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Meerkats are rated Least Concern on the IUCN Red List | Least Concern (LC) |

## Clutton-Brock et al. (1999). Selfish Sentinels in Cooperative Mammals. Science.

https://doi.org/10.1126/science.284.5420.1640

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| one study backs the idea that once a meerkat's own stomach is full, and no one else is on guard, keeping watch is its best use of time | recent models suggest that guarding may be an individual's optimal activity once its stomach is full if no other animal is on guard. This paper provides support for this last explanation |
| meerkats given extra food did more guarding | the provision of food increases contributions to guarding |
| A study of meerkat groups backed a more selfish explanation: once a meerkat's own stomach is full, and no other meerkat is on guard, standing guard may be the best use of its time | recent models suggest that guarding may be an individual's optimal activity once its stomach is full if no other animal is on guard. This paper provides support for this last explanation by showing that, in groups of meerkats (note: FAQ 2; 'selfish' is the paper's title, against the kin-selection and reciprocal-altruism explanations the abstract names) |
| Meerkats given extra food did more guarding, and went back on guard sooner after a shift | the provision of food increases contributions to guarding and reduces the latency between bouts by the same individual (note: FAQ 2) |

## Thornton & McAuliffe (2006). Teaching in Wild Meerkats. Science.

https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1128727

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| As pups grow older, the mob's helpers change how they serve up prey, which speeds up the pups' learning | helpers alter their prey-provisioning methods as pups grow older, thus accelerating learning |

## Manser (2001). The acoustic structure of suricates' alarm calls varies with predator type and the level of response urgency. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences.

https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2001.1773

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| the calls turn noisier the more urgent the danger gets | Low urgency calls tend to be harmonic across all predator types, while high urgency calls are noisier. |
| A rotating sentinel watch with alarm calls graded by urgency, dark eye patches that cut the sun's glare, and some immunity to a scorpion's sting | high urgency calls are noisier (note: stats.superpower; 'rotating' is the National Zoo's 'Individuals rotate sentinel duty throughout the day'; the eye-patch and immunity clauses repeat the body/tagline claims above) |