What makes a meerkat a mammal

Common Name: Meerkat. Scientific Name: Suricata suricatta. Type: Mammals. Diet: Omnivore. Size: Head and body: 9. Weight: Up to 2. Size relative to a 6-ft man:. Least concern. Least Concern Extinct. Current Population Trend: Stable. This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo. Share Tweet Email. Go Further. Meerkats are social animals that live in large groups of up to 40 individuals, called a gang or mob.

The mob is made up of several family groups. There is typically one dominant pair that produces most of the offspring. These mobs spend their time playing together and grooming each other.

They also hunt and guard the young as a unit, helping their survival. Most meerkat mobs live underground in burrows. Meerkats have a matriarchal society, where adult females are generally slightly larger than the males. The mother needs to spend time foraging to supply her pups with milk. When the mother is away, other females and males stay behind to care for and protect her young. There are currently no major threats to meerkat populations. The biggest threat to meerkats are Birds of Prey, including hawks and eagles, and ground-dwelling predators, such as Snakes, that hunt them on the ground.

Skip to main content Skip to footer site map. Size and Weight: Meerkats are 9 to Type: Mammals. Diet: Omnivore. Size: Head and body: 9. Weight: Up to 2. Explore more! Amazing animals videos Watch to discover interesting facts about animals from all over the world. Save the Earth tips Save the Earth tips. Endangered Species Act How this law protects animals. Pet Central Big or small, furry or scaly, we love pets and we know you do too. That's why we put all our great pet stuff in one place.

We've got photography tips, videos, photos of amazing pets, and even pet games! Jordan, N. Suricata suricatta. Downloaded on 18 May We share awesome animal content daily. Exact matches only. Search in title. Search in content. Search in excerpt. Meerkat Fact File. Appearance The meerkat is a member of the mongoose family. Diet The meerkat is an omnivore. Habitat Meerkats come from open grasslands which are dry. Reproduction Meerkats will breed throughout the entire year though typically pups are born when food is at its most abundant from November to March.

Behaviour In the morning meerkats will point their bellies towards the sun to warm up after the cold desert nights. Quick facts Meerkats have featured in many TV shows and movies making them very popular. Photo Credits Copyright. We're Social. Follow Us.