Meerkat Mischief | National Geographic

what’s the most interesting fact about
meerkats probably not their interest in
sunsets like this one in the Kalahari
Desert in southern Africa lots of
animals even humans would love a sunset
like this it might be the markings under
their eyes did you know those dark
markings act like sunglasses allowing
the meerkats to see in the harsh desert
light here’s another interesting fact
since meerkats are perfect snack size
for predators like eagles and jackals
one meerkat and sometimes more always
stand guard for the mob a mob of
meerkats that’s actually the name used
by natural ists is a meerkat social
group from five to thirty members here
the mob gathers to observe the deadly
puff adder by the way meerkats are
fiercely territorial and will fight to
defend their turf from snakes or other
meerkat mobs
speaking of territorial once they’ve
staked out a territory they use their
four-digit claws to dig burrows and
tunnels where they’ll sleep after a hard
day of hunting
meerkats grow to a length of 12 inches
play about two pounds and are members of
the Mongoose family they like to wrestle
this habit begins at an early age
interesting but the most interesting
fact about meerkats
is what they love to eat these cute
little critters love to eat scorpions
they’re immune to the venom first the
meerkat bites off the stinger
good move and then it’s time to tie on
the feedbag if scorpions aren’t
available
meerkats will also dine on anything make
an overpowered beetles spiders even
lizards and small rodents but for a
meerkat nothing beats the crunchy
goodness of a freshly killed scorpion
and who can argue now though well a
little ketchup might help