Category: General

Alba Orlov with injured foreleg
Photo by Sofya Melnikova

Late rains in the Kuruman River Reserve have extended the meerkat breeding season. There were 22 pregnancies recorded in March. The more rain, the more resources there are for the meerkats. How the different groups manage so many simultaneous pregnancies varies. This month’s Meerkatter highlights how two groups – Elrond’s Council and Dik-Diks – handled these multiple pregnancies during the month.

Elrond’s Council Dominant Male Jonsnow (VECM070)

A few pups were given their LAST SEEN in March including Alba Orlov (VALM026), Side Quest Boo (VSIM044), and Brussels Sprouts solo pup, Dropke (VBSF015).

Male dominance has been confirmed at Elrond’s Council with Jonsnow (VECM070) taking on the top male position. Male dominance is still unconfirmed at Jaxx. Jaxx former dominant male Sneaky (VJXM170) is considered to have emigrated out of the group.

Trackie-Daks VTD2501/VTD2502 litter pups

Trackie-Daks pups Kibo (VTDF049), Sip (VTDP050), Timone (VTDF051) and Meeko (VTDF052) foraged with the group for the first time this month. Ubuntu’s six pups – Pawpaw (VUBM080), Moppie (VUBF081), Fifi (VUBP082), Stella (VUBF083), Baba (VUBF084), and Koka (VUBM085) – joined their family on their first forage as well.

Zulus Dominant female Spruddel – March 7, 2025

Sadly, beloved, long-time Zulus dominant female Spruddel (VZUF028), was predated on her birthday, March 10th. She was pregnant at the time. That same day, her daughter, Leona aka The Unit (VZUF070), immigrated back into the group after having been evicted and took over as the group’s dominant female.

At Renegades, dominant female Ricky Baker (VGDF031) and pup VRGP005 were not with the group on March 25th and had not returned by the end of the month.

Vetkoeks dominant female Mooncake (VHMF053) is one of the many meerkats that is pregnant this month. Juvenile female Brownie (VVKF020) was given her LAST SEEN. Despite the loss of Brownie, the group is finally increasing their numbers.

Hogwarts juveniles Tolkien (VHWM007), Pushkin (VHWM006), Rowling (VHWM005) and dominant male Caraxes (VHWM004) March 2025

Ubuntu Pawpaw (VUBM080) and Koka (VUBM085)

Hogwarts dominant female Salazar (VZUF051) gave birth this month and five pups have emerged. True to their group name, these little pups were all named after Harry Potter characters.

Finally, at Whiskers, female pups Amarula (VWF280) and Anita (VWF282), subordinate male Gojo Satoru (VWM274) and juvenile female Bubblegum (VWF278) were all given their LAST SEEN. The group now numbers 10 individuals.

Vetkoeks Seabiscuit (VVKM022) and Ody (VVKM021)

Find the March 2025 Meerkatter here.

Click here for the March 2025 Life History Chart.

The March 2025 Group Territories map can be found here.

Whiskers Archangel, Gnoll, Raclette and pup Luna

The Whiskers meerkat group is one of the Friends’ favorite groups and certainly the best-known of all the KMP groups. Whiskers has had a rough go of things over the past year. The February Meerkatter details the trials and tribulations of this beloved group following former dominant female Luna’s (VWF235) disappearance in December 2023.

Orlov (VALM026), the Alba pup with a leg injury, disappeared on February 26. He was able to use his injured leg when he was last seen. The KMP observers noted that Alba rallied around this little guy – often feeding him more than he could even consume.

Brussels Sprouts Dropke
Photo by Lily Hambric

Brussels Sprouts dominant female Arabella’s (VMPF035) single pup, Dropke (VBSF015), emerged for the first time this month and joined the group on her first forage. Brussel’s Sprouts now numbers seven individuals with the addition of this solo pup.  Former Zulus adult subordinate female Leona, aka The Unit (VZUF070),

Zulus Leona in 2024

was seen foraging with Brussels Sprouts adult subordinate male, Gurke (VHMM036), and later went down into the Brussels Sprouts’ sleeping burrow before being chased off. Leona is considered emigrated out of Zulus. Despite this, Leona has stayed close to her natal group. Zulus had 16 encounters with her this month. On a couple of occasions, she sneaked into the Zulus sleeping burrow.

Gold Diggers dominant female Goldeneye (VGDF007) gave birth in February, but the three pups have not been seen since a burrow move and the litter is considered LOST. Lazuli adult subordinate male Subigubi (VUBM050) was seen mating with Goldeneye. He was chased away by Gold Diggers dominant male Shrew (VUBM018).

Lazuli Dominant Male Rogelio de la Vega

Lazuli dominant female Masiiwa (VLF308) also gave birth this month, but dominant male Rogelio de la Vega (VGDM015) was seen killing one of the pups.  This litter is also considered LOST.

Ubuntu Pups with Babysitter Pap

Ubuntu dominant female Agazoth (VUBF039) and yearling subordinate female Hotfoot (VUBF039) gave birth this month.  Six pups have emerged.

Five pups at Renegades have emerged. Both dominant female Ricky Baker (VGDF031) and adult subordinate female Maya II (VGDF039) have submandibular lumps, along with other injuries, however these have been determined not to be tuberculosis.

Vetkoeks Blackjack with Snake-bite Injury

Renegades Maya II with Pups. Photo by Makgabo

Two of Vetkoeks’ dominant female Mooncake’s (VHMF053) three pups were given their LAST SEEN, most likely predated by a snake. Yearling male Blackjack (VVKM002), who was babysitting when they disappeared, was seen with head injuries consistent with those of a snake bite. He is currently blind in one eye, thin and has facial swelling and necrosis.

Find the February 2025 Meerkatter here.

Click here for the February 2025 Life History Chart.

The February 2025 Group Territories Map can be found here.

Zulus Spruddel VZUF028

Breeding Season is in full swing in the Kalahari and with it comes all the joys of new pups, and all the heartbreak of infanticide.  This topic is presented in the January Meerkatter citing a recent occurrence with Zulus.  Zulus dominant female Spruddel (VZUF028) was observed killing one of her daughters, Leona’s (VZUF070), pups.  Leona, aka The Unit, had been evicted a month earlier and had just given birth in a burrow close to the Zulus current sleeping burrow.

Alba Palestrina VLM211

Six pups at Alba joined the group on their first forage. One pup, Orlov (VALM026), has an open wound on his front leg and is unable to use it. Alba adult subordinate males Apollo (VALM010), Patrick (VAL M011) and Palestrina (VLM211) were given their LAST SEEN this month.

Gold Diggers had 16 encounters in January, frequently by Lazuli adult subordinate males Subigubi (VUBM050), Beans (VUBM053) and Kush (VLM298) and yearling subordinate male Tinashe (VLM310).

Lazuli Dominant Female Masiiwa VLF308

Lazuli dominant female Masiiwa (VLF308), Gold Diggers dominant female Goldeneye (VGDF007) and Ubuntu dominant female Agazoth (VUBF034) are all confirmed pregnant this month. Side Quest dominant female Pumba (VZUF048) gave birth to three pups – Bunny (VSIF042), Billy (VSIF043) and Boo (VSIM044). Trackie-Daks dominant female Boubou (VTDF028), Brussels Sprouts dominant female Arabella (VMPF038) and Vetkoeks dominant female Mooncake (VHMF053) also gave birth in January.

Side Quest Billy VSIF043 (March 2025)

Subgroup Gold Diggers 5 has been made an official group and is now known as ‘Renegades’.  Ricky Baker (VGDF031) is confirmed as the group’s dominant female. Both Ricky Baker and Maya II (VGDF039) gave birth this month. Renegades is classified as a Life History Monitoring group.

Elrond’s Council adult male Perceval (VECM048) and yearling males Piccolo (VECM060) and Fiufiu (VECM053) were all given their LAST SEEN.

Whiskers Dominant Female Archangel and her pup Luna (March 2025)

At Whiskers, male dominance has become unsettled after Trackie-Daks yearling male Kanto (VTDM036) and former Trackie-Daks adult males Princess Carolyn (VTDM013) and Raclette (VTDM017) immigrated into the group on January 6th.  Female dominance became unsettled after adult female Gnoll (VWF262) was observed in dominance competitions. Archangel (VWF259) eventually received enough submissions from the other females to be confirmed as Whiskers new dominant female. Yearling subordinate male Pintabean (VWM269) was given his LAST SEEN.

Whiskers Pintabean VWM269

For the January 2025 Meerkatter click here

Find the January 2025 Life History Chart here

Click here for the January Group Territories Map.

Lazuli Dumpling VLF272 in 2022

Lazuli Masiiwa

Mating opportunities for subordinate females is discussed at length in the December Meerkatter.

Lazuli dominant female Dumpling (VLF272) passed away after being bit by a snake on December 11, 2024.  Dumpling’s yearling daughter Masiiwa (VLF308) took on the position of the group’s dominant female as she was the only eligible female at the time.  All of the other adult subordinate females had been evicted by Dumpling during her last pregnancy.  On December 18th, Lazuli yearling subordinate female Nontokozo (VLF307) was bitten on the neck by a puff adder and has not been seen since.

Alba adult subordinate male Palestrina (VLM211) and yearling subordinate male littermates Apollo (VALM010) and Patrick (VALM011) are considered emigrated out of Alba. At a little over 10 years old, Palestrina is the oldest meerkat in the KMP’s current population.

Brussel Sprouts pups Porcini, Shiitake and Toadstool with Gurke. Photo by Sofya Melnikova

It’s baby season in the Kalahari. Brussels Sprouts dominant female Arabella ‘s (VMPF035) pups Porcini (VBSM012), Toadstool (VBSM013) and Shiitake (VBSM012) foraged with the group for the first time this month.  It has been almost a year since the group last had pups in their midst. Ubuntu’s three pups Ursula (VUBF077), Chonky (VUBM078) and Teenietots (VUBM079), born to dominant female Agazoth (VUBF039), emerged and had their first forage. Dominant females from Jaxx, Elrond’s Council, Gold Diggers, Dik-Diks, and Hogwarts all gave birth this month. Zulus dominant female Spruddel (VZUF028) also gave birth but lost her litter. Zulus pregnant yearling subordinate female Leona (VZUF070) was evicted on the 17th and is still gone at the end of the month.

Side Quest Motoko Kusanagi VSIF013 in 2023

Following her eviction in November, Motoko Kusanagi (VSIF013), Side Quest subordinate female, continued unsuccessfully to rejoin her group.  The group encountered her nine times during the month. She even woke up in the group’s sleeping burrow one morning before running off.

Dominant female Yorki (VGDF033) from disintegrated Nightwatch and adult male Sticky (VMPM064) were given their LAST SEEN.

Female dominance remains unconfirmed at sub-group Gold Diggers 5. Adult subordinate female Ricky Baker (VGDF031) is pregnant.

Both female and male dominance at Whiskers is now confirmed with adult female Gnoll (VWF262) and AgentK (VWM276) in the top spots. Gnoll has an injured front paw and a submandibular lump on her right cheek – a potential sign of TB.

Whiskers dominant male AgentK VWM276
Photo by Saverio Carrera

Whiskers dominant female Gnoll VWF262
Photo by Saverio Carrera

Find the December 2024 Meerkatter here.

Click here for the December 2024 Life History Chart.

The December 2024 Group Territories map can be found here.