Side Quest Legolas (VECM009)
Side Quest Pumba (VZUF048)
The March 2026 Meerkatter covers a topic that many of you have been waiting for – the history and current status of tuberculosis (TB) at the project. As previously noted, Elrond’s Council has been severely affected by TB. However, TB is currently impacting the project’s other groups including Alba and Side Quest. At Alba, subordinate adult male Bibu (VALM014) has developed multiple lumps which began to burst this month. His health declined and he left the group on several occasions for a week or longer. At the end of the month, Bibu was not seen with Alba.
More troubling is what is occurring with Side Quest. Dominant male Legolas (VECM009) developed a small lump on his jaw at the beginning of March. This quickly grew into a large submandibular lump which has since burst. Worse yet,
Side Quest Tex (VSIM035)
is the appearance of a small lump on dominant female Pumba’s (VZUF048) left foot. Initially thought to be an unrelated injury, it did not heal and there is concern now that it is TB-related. The loss of a group’s dominant female has serious implications for the group’s survival. And signs of TB at Side Quest do not stop there – subordinate adult male Tex (VSIM035) has also developed a large submandibular lump.
Brussels Sprouts subordinate male Bubek (VBSM019) was not seen with the group after being injured in an inter-group interaction (IGI) with Zulus on March 28.
Lazuli Bean (VLF333)
Lazuli Sole (VLF332)
Lazuli lost three pups this month from a litter born at the end of December 2025. On March 15th, Bean (VLF333) was found dead after a suspected puff adder bite. On the 20th, pups Sole (VLF332) and Mad-One (VLF334) split from the group during an inter-group encounter with Gold Diggers and were not seen again.
Lazuli Mad-One (VLF334)
Dik-Diks Juilet (VGDF009) and Syl (VDDF037)
Dik-Diks pup, Syl (VDDF037), did not wake up with the group on the 28th and remained absent at the end of the month.
Elrond’s Council sub-adult male Fergie (VECM072), who was suffering from late-stage TB, was left behind by the group on the 17th. Yearling male Madarauchiha (VECM068) and sub-adult male Noah (VECM076) are showing signs of TB.
For the March 2026 Meerkatter click here.
Find the March 2026 Life History Chart here.
The latest Group Territory Map can be found here.
