Category: General

During the summer months in the Kalahari when resources for the meerkats are plentiful, subordinate females may be allowed to breed without eviction. This was detailed in the January 2026 Meerkatter with focus on Gold Diggers six pregnant subordinate females.

In January, Gold Diggers dominant female Goldeneye (VGDF007) gave birth to four surviving pups. Five pups of Lazuli dominant female Masiiwa (VLF308) emerged in January, as did five pups from Trackie-Daks dominant female Refilwe (VTDF041).

Female dominance remains unconfirmed at Elrond’s Council. Male dominance is still unconfirmed at Vetkoeks as well. Vetkoeks pup Evans (VVKM038) died from injuries sustained in an accident.

At Whiskers, sub-adult subordinate female Luna (VWF279) immigrated back into the group.

January marked the beginning of new instances of tuberculosis (TB) in some of the Project’s meerkat groups. At Alba, Bibu (VALM014) was seen to have a submandibular lump and more lumps on his groin and armpits upon his return from a group split. Elrond’s Council is suffering from advanced TB. Affected individuals are dominant male Jonsnow (VECM070), yearling subordinate male Seven (VECM069) and yearling subordinate female Nalane (VECF067).

Click here for the January 2026 Meerkatter.

Find the January 2026 Life History Chart here.

Vetkoeks L to R Zuma VZUM059, Seabiscuit VVKM022 and Ody VVKM021

Vetkoeks meerkat group is highlighted in the December 2025 Meerkatter. The importance of group territory and its influence on the group’s long-term survival is described in detail.

December is the height of the meerkat breeding season in the Kalahari. Dominant females from multiple groups gave birth including Alba’s Cleopatra (VALF008), Brussels Sprouts’ Arabella (VMPF035), Gold Diggers’ Goldeneye (VGDF007), Lazuli’s Masiiwa (VLF308) and Trackie-Daks Refilwe (VTDF041).  Jaxx dominant female Jub Jub (VJXF160) and Hogwarts dominant female Salazar (VZUF051) are pregnant as are Alba subordinate sub-adult Little Creek (VALF033), Gold Diggers subordinate females Peanut (VGDF047), Serafina Pekkala (VGDF049) and Manchego (VGDF054), yearling Aajpe (VGDF068), and Trackie-Daks subordinate sub-adults Kibo (VTDF049) and Timone (VTDF051).  Gold Diggers subordinate yearling female Shambles (VGDF066) aborted her litter. Dik-Diks eldest subordinate female Shelby ‘s (VGDF022) litter was lost before emergence.  Elrond’s Council subordinate yearling female Cadenza (VECF059) gave birth to four pups. Two pups emerged at Side Quest, 4 at Trackie-Daks, 4 at Ubuntu, 6 at Vetkoeks, 5 at Zulus and one at Dik-Diks. Side Quest pup (VSIP060) has an injured hide leg resulting in a serious limp. Dik-Diks pup Binky (VDDM034) and Jaxx pup VJXU218 went missing and are assumed predated.

Whiskers Peppa (VWP290) center
Photo by Matt Shard

Whiskers Butternut (VWF299) left
Photo by Matt Shard

Whiskers lost three pups in December. Peppy (VWP290) did not wake up with the group on the 15th. Simz (VWF297) left the group on the 24th and did not return. Butternut (VWF299) was killed by Vetkoeks during an intergroup interaction (IGI).

Elrond’s Council Jonsnow (VECM070)

Elrond’s Council Nalane (VECF067)

Female dominance remains unconfirmed at Elrond’s Council. Yearling males Goujon (VECM062) and Bazooka (VECM065) are considered emigrated out. Dominant male Jonsnow (VECM070), and yearlings Seven (VECM069) and Nalane (VECF067) are all showing signs of tuberculosis.

Click here for the December 2025 Meerkatter.

Find the December 2025 Life History Chart here.

For the latest Territory Map click here.

Elrond’s Council Seven (VECM069)

Whiskers November 2025 pups
Photo by Matt Shard

Meerkat breeding season in the Kalahari continued throughout November. Whiskers dominant female Sheila (VWF267) and her littermate sisters Kylie (VWF265) and Bruce (VWF266) all gave birth within two weeks of one another. Twelve pups emerged in November, bringing the Whiskers group to a total of 21 individuals.

Other females that gave birth in November were Dik-Diks dominant female Juliet (VDDF009), Jaxx dominant female Jub Jub (VJXF160), Side Quest dominant female Pumba (VZUF048), Ubuntu dominant female Agazoth (VUBF039), Vetkoeks dominant female Mooncake (VHMF083) and Zulus dominant female Leona (VZUF070). Dominant females at Alba, Brussels Sprouts, Gold Diggers, and Trackie-Daks are pregnant.

Zulus Rainbow (VZUM078) with VZU2503 litter pups
Photo by Sean Nelson

Zulus Sweep (VZUM072)

Rovers were doing their thing in November: Gold Diggers were visited by rovers from Lazuli and Brussels Sprouts. There were seven observed encounters by Lazuli Tinashe (VLM310) and Pot Belly (VLM317) and by Brussels Sprouts subordinate adult male Gurke (VHMM036); 11 observed encounters at Alba by unknown males and by Zulus subordinate adult male Sweep (VZUM072); 7 encounters seen at Whiskers by unidentified adults; 2 encounters observed at Side Quest and Trackie-Daks by unknown individuals; and 1 encounter seen  at Dik-Diks, Ubuntu and Vetkoeks  by unidentified individuals. Brussels Sprouts has 5 observed encounters – one with Hogwarts subordinate yearling male Buckbeak (VHWM002) and Zulus subordinate yearling male Rainbow (VZUM078), Gold Diggers subordinate male Captain Patel (VGDM048) and subordinate yearling Snackajack (VGDM063), Lazuli subordinate male Tinashe (VGDM310) and one unknown individual. Eleven encounters were observed at Zulus by Hogwarts Buckbeak, Alba subordinate male Bibu (VALM014), Brussels Sprouts subordinate adult male Gurke (VHMM036) and one unknown individual.

Trackie-Daks Hope (VTDF045)

Trackie-Daks Fishstick VTDF044 and pup Sip VTDF050

In light of Trackie-Daks dominant female Refilwe’s (VTDF041) pregnancy, all of the group’s subordinate females (sub-adult and older): Fishstick (VTDF044), Hope (VTDF045), Kibo (VTDF049), Sip (VTDF050), Timone (VTDF051) and Meeko (VTDF052) were evicted and all are absent at the end of the month.  Dik-Diks pregnant eldest subordinate female Shelby (VGDF022) was also evicted and absent at the end of the month. Ubuntu subordinate sub-adult female Hotfoot (VUBF039) has been gone long enough from her natal group to be considered emigrated out. Hotfoot had been evicted but is still seen near the group.

Lazuli Scrumpy (VLM323)
Photo by Sean Nelson

Lazuli’s subordinate sub-adult male Scrumpy’s (VLM323) health continued to decline, and he did not leave the burrow on November 1st. He is presumed dead. Scrumpy exhibited severe weight-loss, fatigue and breathing difficulties.

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

Click here for the November 2025 Meerkatter.

The November 2025 Life History Chart can be found here.

Find the latest Group Territory Map here.

Trackie-Daks Dominant Female Refilwe VTDF041

With October in the Kalahari, comes the meerkat breeding season – and with that comes rovers, mating, pregnancies, evictions, and pups. Alba dominant female Cleopatra (VALF008) gave birth to 5 pups, Brussels Sprouts dominant female Arabella (VMPF035) gave birth to 4 pups, Gold Diggers dominant female Goldeneye (VGDF007) gave birth to 5 pups, 3 pups of Lazuli dominant female Masiiwa  (VLF308) were seen, Trackie-Daks dominant female Refilwe (VTDF041) gave birth to 4 pups. Hogwarts dominant female Salazar (VZUF051) and Whiskers dominant female Sheila (VWF267) also gave birth and while the pups are yet to emerge, these litters are assumed to be alive. Vetkoeks dominant female Mooncake (VHMF053), Zulus dominant female Leona (VZUF070), Dik-Diks dominant female Juliet (VGDF009), Jaxx dominant female Jub Jub (VJXF160), Side Quest dominant female Pumba (VZUF048), Ubuntu dominant female Agazoth (VUBF039), are all officially pregnant.

Renegades Do Bronx VRGM003 far left  April 2025
Photo by Makgabo Mokale

Now for the rovers! Brussels Sprouts adult male Gurke (VHMM036) was seen at Alba and Gold Diggers; Renegades sub-adult male Do Bronx (VRGM003) was seen at Alba; Brussels Sprouts dominant male James (Sawyer) (VGDM011) and sub-adult male Bubek (VBSM019) left their group overnight, potentially roving; Gold Diggers yearling male Snackajack (VGDM063) was seen at Lazuli and Zulus, Gold Diggers adult male Tampin (VGDM055) was seen at Zulus; Gold Diggers adult male Captain Patel (VGDM048) encountered Lazuli, Gold Diggers sub-adult male Bokkie (VGDM067) was absent at the end of the month, potentially roving; Lazuli yearling Pot Belly (VLM317) roved at Gold Diggers and was seen mating with adult female Peanut (VGDF047); Zulus yearling male Catch-A-Mo (VZUM079) was seen at Gold Diggers; Lazuli adult male Tinashe (VLM310) was seen at Gold Diggers and Vetkoeks; Lazuli dominant male Rogelio de la Vega (VGDM015) encountered Dik-Diks; Lazuli yearling male Petit Bidon (VLM318) was seen at Dik-Diks and Vetkoeks; Whiskers adult male Agent K (VWM276) was seen at Trackie-Daks; and Hogwarts yearling male Buckbeak (VHWM002) was seen roving at Zulus.

Elrond’s Council Snoop Kat VECF039

Elrond’s Council Cadenza VECF059 (on top) and Rza VECM066

The featured article in the October Meerkatter highlights Elrond Council’s (former) dominant female Snoop Kat (VECF039). As mentioned last month, a chest injury was taking its toll on Snoop Kat’s health. She had difficulty keeping up foraging with the group and began losing significant weight. However, she was still able to assert her dominance, even with her daughter, eldest subordinate adult female Cadenza (VECF059), who began to challenge her. Upon her return from a weeklong absence from the group, Snoop Kat submitted to Cadenza’s challenges, effectively giving up her position as the group’s dominant female. Snoop Kat left Elrond’s Council the following day on the 18th of October and has not been seen since. Female dominance at Elrond’s Council is undetermined at the end of the month.

Alba Kronk VALM018
Photo by Sean Nelson

Trackie-Daks Chinchilla VTDF029

The following were given their LAST SEEN in October: Alba yearling males Merlin (VALM0165), Kronk (VALM018) and FunnyLittleGuy (VALM019), Jaxx Adult male Freddie (VJXM204), Trackie-Daks adult female Chinchilla (VTDF029), Trackie-Daks yearling female Mulan (VTDF046), Trackie-Daks yearling males Tsodiyo (VTDM042), Raisbe (VTDM043) and Jonesy (VTDM047), Ubuntu juvenile female Zuzu (VUBF086), Dik-Diks adult males Scramble (VDDM007), Jaivyn (VUBM048) and yearling male Braveheart (VDDM011). Vetkoeks pup VVKP032 was found deceased at the sleeping burrow, cause unknown.

Dik-Diks Jaivyn VUBM048 (in back) and Sobhuza VDDM013

Click here for the October 2025 Meerkatter.

Find the October 2025 Life History Chart here.

The October 2025 Group Territories Map is here.