Meerkats: You just can't stop loving them!!!

The meerkat is a small mammal that belongs to the mongoose family. However,It looks like a small cat but has a face like a lemur. They have a small black patch surrounding their eyes and a small black crescent shaped ears.They have four toes on each foot and long slender limbs.They have an average life span of 12–14 years.They primarily inhabit the Kalahari desert,South Africa and Botswana.They are found to live in a group which compromises 20-50 members.And do you know what their group is called- a "gang"!!!!! Sounds funny;doesn't it ?

                   Meerkats are quite small (Only 0.73 kg).That means a meerkat is nearly 5 times smaller than a average human baby!!!This small size of meerkat is also one of the factors that helps them to be one of the cutest mammals in the world.Meerkats are mainly insectivores, but also eat lizards, snakes, scorpions, spiders, plants,eggs, small mammals, millipedes, centipedes and, more rarely, small birds. Meerkats are immune to certain types of venom, including the very strong venom of the scorpions of the Kalahari Desert, unlike humans.however they have no excess body fat stores, so searching for food is a daily need.
                                   Meerkats forage in a group with one "sentry" on guard watching for predators while the others search for food. Sentry duty is usually approximately an hour long. The "watchman"does it's duty well.Actually it stands up in its hind legs and surveys the whole surrounding .And the remaining meerkats continue with their "searching" without any fear. After all who cares!!-There's the watchman guarding.The meerkat standing guard makes peeping sounds when all is well. If the meerkat spots danger, it barks loudly or whistles.Meerkats demonstrate altruistic behavior within their colonies; one or more meerkats stand sentry while others are searching food or playing, to warn them of approaching dangers. When a predator is spotted, the meerkat performing as sentry gives a warning bark, and other members of the gang will run and hide in one of the many holes they have spread across their territory. The sentry meerkat is the first one to reappear from the burrow and search for predators, constantly barking to keep the others underground. If there is no threat, the sentry meerkat stops signaling and the others feel safe to emerge.Quite brave!!!!!

                                Meerkats become sexually mature at about one year of age and can have one to five pups in a litter, with three pups being the most common litter size. However, wild meerkats may have up to four litters per year.The pups are allowed to leave the burrow at three weeks old. When the pups are ready to emerge from the burrow, the whole clan of meerkats will stand around the burrow to watch. Some of the "adults" might try to show off so they can have more attention than the pups.(Quite similar to humans!!!)
      Meerkats display activities quite similar to humans-they wrestle and race as well!!and you know what-They get up later on cold or rainy days just like humans! But Meerkats make very poor pets. They can be aggressive especially toward guests and may bite as well. They will scent-mark their owner and their territory. 

                    I simply love meerkats!!!!-do you???

            Thanks a lot for reading my post!!!And please don't forget to suggest me as well.