Scientific Name: Suricata suricatta Origin: Southern Africa Life Span: 10-12 Years Average Height: 30cm (Standing)


  1. The English translation of Meerkat is "marsh cat" - but they do not live near marshes, and they aren’t actually cats!
  2. In the Compare the Market TV Ads, Alexander the Meerkat and his friends come from a place called Meerkovo, in Russia. Meerkats actually originate from Southern Africa, where it is far too hot to wear a dressing gown!
  3. Meerkats have excellent eyesight, and can spot predators in the air from over 300 metres away. They get a pretty good view of the sea from their enclosure here at Tapnell
  4. Meerkats eat snakes, spiders, scorpions, lizards, plants eggs and other creepy crawlies, and they are immune to certain types of snake bites and scorpion stings
  5. A group of meerkats is often called a clan, or a mob. They usually hunt together in groups, with a designated lookout standing up on their back legs to keep watch over the others

You will find our mob of Meerkats located outside in the Wallaby Walkbout