Meerkats
Meerkats: Standing Tall
Steven Fetherolf
Strayer University
Introduction
Standing tall, the small animal scans the sky for predators, his neck extended and head swiveling side to side, ever diligent in the search for anything that may prove a threat to his group of fellow meerkats. At his fullest height, he barely reaches 12”, the average of an adult male in his species. What is this strange animal, looking similar to a mongoose or an elongated squirrel and sporting black “bandit” markings around its eyes that are vaguely reminiscent of a raccoon? What does anyone know of this incongruous, oft-overlooked creature, whose comparable significance to more exotic animals is virtually unknown? If you have watched the television channel Animal Planet, you may have caught the series Meerkat Manor, a documentary that provides a glimpse into a meerkat’s world in an entertaining and personable fashion, the voice-over narrating the mannerisms of members of the meerkat’s group and affixing names to each.
[pic]
Figure 1. Meerkat Family
Interesting facts
The meerkat is a small, agile mammal that is indigenous to the southern regions and Kalahari Desert of Africa, and is directly related to the mongoose family. Its scientific name is Suricata Suricatta, and is classified as a carnivorous mammal (Lester, 2006, Meerkat Info, para. 1). The name “meerkat” originates from the Afrikaans dialect and translates to “marsh cat” in the English form, although it is neither a cat nor does it live near marshes.
The physical attributes observed are that they grow to approximately 12” in height when attaining adulthood, while standing 6” at the shoulder, weigh approximately two to three pounds, and have a tail that grows up to 8” in length and is used in a method similar to a tripod, providing balance while standing or running. Bodily proportions are not related to being male or female, although colorations and markings afford the ability to determine a
Steven Fetherolf
Strayer University
Introduction
Standing tall, the small animal scans the sky for predators, his neck extended and head swiveling side to side, ever diligent in the search for anything that may prove a threat to his group of fellow meerkats. At his fullest height, he barely reaches 12”, the average of an adult male in his species. What is this strange animal, looking similar to a mongoose or an elongated squirrel and sporting black “bandit” markings around its eyes that are vaguely reminiscent of a raccoon? What does anyone know of this incongruous, oft-overlooked creature, whose comparable significance to more exotic animals is virtually unknown? If you have watched the television channel Animal Planet, you may have caught the series Meerkat Manor, a documentary that provides a glimpse into a meerkat’s world in an entertaining and personable fashion, the voice-over narrating the mannerisms of members of the meerkat’s group and affixing names to each.
[pic]
Figure 1. Meerkat Family
Interesting facts
The meerkat is a small, agile mammal that is indigenous to the southern regions and Kalahari Desert of Africa, and is directly related to the mongoose family. Its scientific name is Suricata Suricatta, and is classified as a carnivorous mammal (Lester, 2006, Meerkat Info, para. 1). The name “meerkat” originates from the Afrikaans dialect and translates to “marsh cat” in the English form, although it is neither a cat nor does it live near marshes.
The physical attributes observed are that they grow to approximately 12” in height when attaining adulthood, while standing 6” at the shoulder, weigh approximately two to three pounds, and have a tail that grows up to 8” in length and is used in a method similar to a tripod, providing balance while standing or running. Bodily proportions are not related to being male or female, although colorations and markings afford the ability to determine a
References: Bennett-Wallberg, P. (2007). Meerkat Vital Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.fellowearthlings.org Lester, I. (2006). Meerkat Information. Retrieved from http://www.meerkats.net Weaver, R. (1999). Meerkats. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press.