Meerkats
Meerkats have furry coats ranging in color from silver to orange to brown. Their coats are used both to insulate them from the cold and as an exhaust system to prevent overheating in harsh climates. They also wear sunglasses! Their dark patches around the eye help reduce glare, helping them see far away and protect against predators. One meerkat in the colony is always designated as a "lookout," standing on its hind legs to watch for danger. The animals communicate with each other with a variety of sounds that can be categorized. Some examples are alert calls, lost calls, "leading the group" calls, pup feeding calls, guarding calls and foraging calls.
RANGE: The meerkats live throughout southern Africa, in the countries of Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa.
HABITAT: They live in the dry, open plains that have hard or stony ground.
LIFE EXPECTANCY: 12 years in captivity.
BEHAVIOR: Meerkats live in colonies of about 30 members and act as a family unit grooming, playing and foraging together.
DIET: The meerkat is primarily insectivorous, feeding on insects, spiders and scorpians. They will also feed on small lizards and amphibians, small eggs and some vegetation.