They say the third time’s a charm and that is true for these four little charmers. These meerkat pups were born on July 27 2015 at Edinburgh Zoo in the United Kingdom. They are the third litter for their mother, Queen this year following five pups in May and a trio in March.
Carnivore Team Leader at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo, Alison Maclean said, “”We were delighted when we discovered Queen had given birth to even more pups inside Meerkat House! With a gestation period of only 11 weeks, it is not uncommon for meerkats to give birth multiple times a year. Even though this is her third litter this year, the pups aren’t proving to be too much of a handful for her. Meerkats are cooperative breeders which means the adults within the large troop give a helping hand to care for the newest arrivals.
Currently the pups are beginning to make adventures outside to enjoy some sunbaking with the adults. Most of there is spent exploring the indoor house.
“The pups stayed within their burrow for the first two weeks of their life and have only just begun to start to explore outside their den. At feeding time, they have even been seen excitedly learning how to catch their own food,” added Maclean.
Meerkats come from the dry, open areas and sparse woody scrub of southern Africa. In Edinburgh they enjoy life in a plush pad known as Meerkat Plaza which opened just last year. It features plenty of sandy space where they can dig, climb and warm up in the midday sun.
Photo Credit: Edinburgh Zoo
