Meerkat facts: not merely cats | Animal Fact Files

Meerkats are mongooses endemic to southern Africa (meaning they're only found living natively in that part of the world). These small mammals live in groups, called mobs, that average 20 members but can reach up to 50 in extreme cases. Members within a mob are friendly towards each other, but rival mobs are met with fighting and hissing. These mongooses are stout and can withstand snake venom as well as the sting of scorpions - in fact, they're downright immune to scorpion stings! Meerkats teach their young to catch food by bringing them scorpions that have had their stingers gnawed off. This gives the babies a chance to learn how to hunt live prey without as much risk of injury. In the meerkat world, all members of the mob help with digging burrows, babysitting, and performing sentry duty.

Scientific Name: Suricata suricatta
Range: southern Africa
Size: 1.5 pounds (680g); 1 foot (30.5cm) tall when standing on their hind legs
Diet: insects and other arthropods like scorpions as well as lizards, bird eggs, and smaller mammals
Lifespan: average of 10 years

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