One of the highlights of a recent visit to the Brevard Zoo was seeing the Meerkats. These highly social natives of the deserts of the southern part of the African continent primarily eat insects but will chow down on plants and small animals given the circumstance or the opportunity.

As part of the highly developed social nature of the clan, this Meerkat is acting as a sentinel for the others to warn of any danger that might approach.



A social group of Meerkats is called either a clan, gang, or mob. Take your preference.


A number of baby Meerkats have been born in captivity at the Brevard Zoo.

Juvenile following an adult.

Juveniles are called pups.

In the wild they primarily live in burrows underground, a shelter they will disappear into if danger approaches. They also use their remarkable digging ability to search for insects in the earth.


In their native African homes they are preyed upon by large raptors which explains why the Meerkats spend a lot of time looking toward the sky for danger.


Suricata suricatta could not be any cuter.