Visitors to Belfast Zoo have some new arrivals to enjoy with four new meerkats having moved into their habitat on Monday.
The zoo said two meerkats arrived at the facility in January and have “surprised the team” with the birth of two babies.
Those visiting the zoo will now see all four exploring their new habitat alongside the existing collection of meerkats.
The zoo said both parents and babies are “healthy and strong” and have been “independently exploring their new home under the watchful eyes of their attentive parents”.
Meerkats are a burrowing member of the mongoose family that are recognisable for their upright posture. Meerkats are incredibly social animals, and you can always spot at least one of them standing guard and keeping a lookout for predators.
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The meerkats in Belfast Photo: Alan Campbell Photography
They live in cooperative packs, called a mob, of up to fifty individuals with one female alpha who will be the only female in the group that will mate.
Alyn Cairns, zoo manager at Belfast Zoo said: “We are delighted that the meerkats have settled so comfortably into their new home at Belfast Zoo.
“The pair have already welcomed two new pups (infants) which is a true testament to how happy they are with the Belfast facilities. The zoo has been keeping and breeding meerkats for many years and we are especially looking forward to seeing the mob expand to numbers that would be similar to a wild setting.
“The new meerkats and their babies can be seen daily at their new habitat, which is designed to closely mimic their natural habitat. Visitors can enjoy watching the family interact, dig tunnels, and explore.”
News Catch Up – Thursday 13 February