Author: Laura

Alba

Side Quest Mrs. HS Balls (VSIF047)

The May Meerkatter features an article on meerkat strategies to maintain contact with one another during foraging sessions. Communication is key as individuals can spread out over a large expanse of ground and be out of sight from one another in the tall sour grass.  Group splits are also discussed, highlighting a recent event with the KMP’s second largest group, Alba (AL).  Other groups that split during May were Jaxx (JX) and Zulus (ZU).

Female dominance with Lazuli remains unconfirmed, however yearling females Pataud (VLF319) and Bumble (VLF320) have been displaying dominance behaviors. Lazuli juveniles Liv (VLF329) and Elmo (VLM331) were given their LAST SEEN.

Male dominance is still unconfirmed at Vetkoeks. Vetkoeks had two intergroup interactions (IGIs) in May – both with Whiskers, with no injuries on either side reported.

Lazuli Bumble (VLF320)

Lazuli Pataud (VLF319)

Side Quest dominant male Legloas (VECM009) and subordinate adult male Tex show large burst submandibular lumps and are beginning to lose weight. Dominant female Pumba (VZUF048) is in worsening condition with burst lumps on her legs. Her radio collar was removed and placed on yearling female Mrs. HS Balls (VSIF047).

Elrond’s Council Madarauchiha (VECM068) was given his LAST SEEN. He was last observed with severe TB symptoms. Subordinate male Noah (VECM076) has a small submandibular lump and open lumps on his legs. Both male and female dominance at Elrond’s Council remains unconfirmed. The group is currently comprised of nine individuals.

Alba Samurai (VALM027)

Alba yearling male Samurai (VALM027) continues to display a submandibular lump.

Ubuntu juvenile male Sam I Am (VUBM093) was given his LAST SEEN.

Khoisan (KS) appears to have decreased by two individuals and now stands at 15 members. The majority of the group members, including Princess Carolyn (VTDM013), show TB symptoms.

Find the May 2026 Meerkatter here.

Click here for the May 2026 Life History Chart.

The May 2026 Group Territory Map can be found here.

Lazuli Dominant Female Masiiwa (VLF308)

Lazuli Liv (VLF329)

The focus of the April Meerkatter is on the recent tragic events that occurred with the KMP’s oldest meerkat group – the Lazuli. History repeated itself on the 20th for a third time in a row with the death of Lazuli’s dominant female Masiiwa (VLF308) from a snake bite. On April 12, subadult female Liv (VLF329) went missing sometime between the morning and afternoon data-collection sessions. That same day, juvenile female Elmo (VLF331), the only remaining individual from her litter, was lethargic and had difficulty keeping up with the rest of the group. She did not wake up with the rest of the Lazuli the next morning.  Subadult male Baxter (VLM327) disappeared on the 18th and was suspected to have also succumbed to envenomation from a snake.

Lazuli Baxter (VLM327)

Lazuli Elmo (VLM331)

On the first of April, Gold Diggers pup Marty (VGDM088) was killed after being hit by a car.

Ubuntu subordinate juvenile male Sam I Am (VUBM043) went missing during the morning session and has not been sighted since.

On a positive note, Vetkoeks is going strong with 17 individuals comprising the group, however male dominance is still unconfirmed.

Gold Diggers Marty (VGDM087)

Ubuntu Sam I Am (VUBM093)

Alba adult male Bibu (VALM014), suffering from advanced tuberculosis (TB), was given his LAST SEEN after being last sighted foraging alone on March 30th.

Similarly, subordinate yearling male Madarauchiha (VECM068), who was also suffering from advanced TB, did not wake up with his group on the 21st, and remains absent at the end of the month. Subadult male Noah (VECM076) has developed lumps on his paws and nose.

Unfortunately, for the KMP’s newest group, Khoisan, the majority of its individuals, including known male Princess Carolyn (VTDM013), appear to be suffering from TB symptoms.

Vetkoeks

Elrond’s Council Madarauchiha (VECM068)

Find the April 2026 Meerkatter here.

For the April 2026 Life History Chart click here.

The latest Group Territory Map is found here.

Elrond’s Council Noah (VECM076)

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.

Princess Carolyn (VTDM013) in 2025

Jaxx Mr. Worldwide (VJXM200) and Callywag (VJXM219)

A new group was discovered this month 1.5 km south of Whiskers’ territory. The group is comprised of approximately 17 wild individuals and at least one pregnant female. One adult male who seemed comfortable around the observers was identified as Princess Carolyn (VTDM013), originally from Trackie-Daks and later immigrating into Whiskers.  This new habituation group has been named Khoisan (KS). Read more about Khoisan in the February Meerkatter.

February was a busy month for pups. Jaxx increased by five individuals with the birth of dominant female Jub Jub’s (VJXF160) pups – Callywag (VJXM219), Mikey (VJXF220), Tailbase (VJXM221), Chunky (VJXM222) and Gylly (VJXM223).  Side Quest dominant female

Pumba (VZUF048) gave birth to four pups – Doodlebob (VSIF062), Hammy (VSIM063), Blanket (VSIF064) and Ajax (VSIM065).

Side Quest Ajax (VSIM065)

Zulus VZU2601 litter pup

Ubuntu dominant female Agazoth (VUBF039) also gave birth to four pups – still unnamed VUBP095, VUBP096, VUBP097 and VUVP098. Dik-Diks dominant female Juliet (VGDF009) gave birth to four still unnamed pups as well – VDDF035, VDDF036, VDDF037 and VDDM038. Zulus yearling subordinate female Bonnie (VZUF077) gave birth on February 10th to Dee (VZUF095), Moratua (VZUF096), Makgabo (VZUF097) and Phuti (VZUM098).

Brussels Sprouts pup Tobias (VBSM025) did not wake up with the group on the 7th and was subsequently given his LAST SEEN. Lazuli pup Mac (VLP330) was given its LAST SEEN as well. Elrond’s Counsel pup Wazza (VECP079) was assumed predated.

Brussels Sprouts litter with Tobias (VBSM025)
Photo by Elizabeth Lee-Wong

Gold Diggers Broson (VGDM064)

Gold Diggers yearling male Broson (VGDM064) left the group on January 1st and has not been since. He was given his LAST SEEN.

Elrond’s Council continues to suffer from advanced tuberculosis. Four individuals were lost due to tuberculosis. Dominant male Jonsnow (VECM070) and subordinate yearling female Nalane  (VECF067) were seen to have large submandibular lumps that burst, as did yearling male Seven (VECM069) and sub-adult female Scary Mary (VECF075).  All four were euthanized.

Female dominance remains unconfirmed at Elrond’s Council. Male dominance is still unconfirmed at Vetkoeks as well.

Click here for the February 2026 Meerkatter.

Find the February 2026 Life History Chart here.

For the latest Group Territory Map click here.