You’ve probably seen hundreds of cute animal photos. But is it ever enough? Somehow, no matter how many adorable creatures you come across, you always want to see just one more.
Meet the meerkat—one of the cutest animals you’ll ever lay eyes on. Meerkats, part of the mongoose family, are known for their ability to stand upright on their hind legs. This pose only adds to their charm!
Meerkats are found in the wild, mainly in the Kalahari Desert in Botswana and the Namib Desert in Namibia. They’re also common in parts of Southwestern Angola.
These social creatures live in large groups, sometimes with as many as 50 members. In the wild, meerkats typically live for six to seven years, but in captivity, they can live even longer.
Meerkat family life is fascinating. Pregnant females often act as babysitters for the group’s babies, watching over them carefully. When danger is near, they’ll quickly hide the little ones underground to keep them safe.
Baby meerkats learn vital skills from their elders, like how to handle venomous creatures. Thanks to the adults, young meerkats learn to eat scorpions without fear.
Despite their adorable nature, meerkats can be fierce. Some may even harm other meerkats’ babies to protect their own.
A mother meerkat usually gives birth to about three pups at a time. When the babies reach two or three weeks old, they leave the burrow and start exploring the world on their own.
