Carnivores: Aardwolf African Wild Cat African Wild Dog Banded Mongoose Bat Eared Fox Black-backed Jackal Brown Hyena Cape Clawless Otter Cape Fox Caracal Cheetah Civet Dhole Large Spotted Genet Golden Jackal Honey badger Leopard African Lion Asiatic Lion Sand Cat Serval Side Striped Jackal Snow Leopard Spotted Hyena Striped Hyena Suricate (Meercat) Tiger White Tailed Mongoose Yellow Mongoose
The Suricate (commonly known as the Meercat), is a typical member of the mongoose family in appearance. It has a slender body approximately 45-55cm in length and a slender tapered tail approximately 20-25cm long. Suricates stand around 15cm high at the shoulder when on all fours. They have a pale coat that varies in colour from fawn to silvery-grey. The coat has a number of dark bands towards the rump. Suricates have a prominent black snout and their eyes are surrounded by dark patches. Their belly is pale coloured, and this is clearly visible when the Suricate assumes its characteristic sitting upright position. Suricates have strong long curved claws which help make them excellent diggers.
Suricates are diurnal (active during the day) and are highly social, living in packs of up to 40 individuals. They either dig their own burrows or take over vacant burrows that have been dug by other animals such as ground squirrels, and sometimes even share the burrows with ground squirrels.
Suricates are often seen sitting upright on their haunches, using their tails for balance. While in this position they constantly turn their heads from side to side to scan the surrounding area for signs of danger. If they spot any threats they bark shrilly and the entire pack will run back to the burrow and enter it via one of the many entrances. The Suricates normally stay within a fairly short distance of the burrow when searching for food, rarely straying more than 200 metres from an entrance.
Suricates eat insects and other invertebrates, birds eggs, snails and reptiles including poisonous snakes.
Suricates are preyed on by African Wild Cats, Serval, Jackal, Badgers and large birds of prey.
The Suricate has a gestation period of around 75 days after which they give birth to between 1 and 5 young, with 2 or 3 being the most common figure. The young are born in a grass-lined chamber within the burrow. Most births occur during the rainy season when it is hot and wet - this is between October and April, but births can occur at any time of year. The young are largely independent by 10 weeks of age and are fully grown by the age of 6 months.
The Suricate or Meercat is found in the drier areas of Southern Africa and occupies open lightly vegetated, often stony areas. Suricates are found in South Africa, Namibia, South West Botswana and a small part of Southern Angola.
© Predator Conservation Trust.
