Category: General

Vetkoeks Blackjack (VVKM002)

Babysitting, a cooperative behavior that contributes to meerkat pup survival, is the focus of the September Meerkatter. The heroic actions of two babysitters – Vetkoeks Blackjack (VVKM002) and Brussels Sprouts Toadstool (VBSM013) – are highlighted.

It was raining pups on the Kuruman River Reserve this month! Six pups were born to Jaxx dominant female Jub Jub (VJXF160). Fennel (VJXP208), Woof (VJXP209), Sprout (VJXP210), Fifi (VJXP211), Matty G. (VJXP212), and Alvin (VJXP213) all emerged and had their first forage this month.  Vetkoeks dominant female Mooncake (VHMF053) gave birth to five pups. Zulus increased by five individuals with the birth of dominant female Leona’s (VZUF070) pups. Four pups of Hogwarts dominant female Salazar (VZUF051) emerged and had their first forage in September. Dik-Diks dominant female Juliet (VGDF009) gave birth to four pups and had their first forage this month as well.  Side Quest dominant female Pumba (VZUF048) gave birth to five pups.

Alba Bibu (VALM014)

Alba dominant female Cleopatra (VALF008) is confirmed pregnant. Yearling subordinate females Tress (VALF020) and Chia (VALF023) were evicted and are yet to return. Subordinate adult male Bibu (VALM014) was given his LAST SEEN.  Alba had two encounters with Renegades Do Bronx (VRGM003). He was chased away both times but remained close to the group.

Gold Diggers dominant female Goldeneye was pregnant in September but had not given birth by the end of the month. Adult subordinate female Manchego (VGDF054) was evicted, and adult subordinate female Serafina Pekkala (VGDF049) left the group. Sub-adult female Poes (VGDF070) was also missing from the group at the end of the month.  Gold Diggers had several encounters with (mostly) Lazuli males including yearlings Pot Belly (VLM317) and Fat Belly (VLM316) and subordinate adult Tinashe (VLM310).

Trackie-Daks Refilwe (VTDF041)

Female dominance at Trackie-Daks was confirmed. Yearling Refilwe (VTDF041) is the group’s new dominant female.  She gave birth this month, but her litter has yet to emerge by the end of the month.  Habituation is now complete at Trackie-Daks as dominant male Guido (VWM275) consistently drinks from the water bottle, can be weighed and allows close follows by the observers.

Elrond’s Council Snoop Kat (VECF039)

Elrond’s Council dominant female Snoop Kat (VECF039) has a deep open wound on her chest from an injury incurred last month. She was seen to be limping and lethargic.  Her radio collar was removed due to significant weight loss. Yearling female Cadenza (VECF059) is wearing the group’s radio collar.

Whiskers Sheila (VWF267)
Photo by Matt Shard

Female dominance at Whiskers is confirmed. Sheila (VWF267) received submissions from over half of the eligible females in the group. Both she and adult female Bruce are pregnant.

Jaxx subordinate female Brave (VJXF178) and Ubuntu yearling subordinate male Pap (VUBM074) were given their LAST SEEN.

Click here for the September 2025 Meerkatter.

Find the September 2025 Life History Chart here.

The latest Group Territory Map can be found here.

Ubuntu Pap (VUBM074)

Jaxx Brave (VJXF178)

Whiskers Gnoll VWF262
March 2025
Photo by Laura Salamone-Maiden

The August Meerkatter is all about the KMP’s most famous group, the Whiskers.  Female dominance is still not officially confirmed. The three females who returned to the group in June – Bruce (VWF266), Kylie (VWF265) and Sheila (VWF267), were all pregnant in July. Both Bruce and Kylie’s litters were lost. Sheila gave birth on August 11th and three healthy pups emerged: Iron (VWP285), Katana (VWP286) and Maus (VWP287). Two days later, the previous dominant female, Gnoll (VWF262), approached the Whiskers burrow but was chased off and hasn’t been seen since.

August saw many pregnancies and births. Gold Diggers dominant female Goldeneye (VGDF007) was seen to be pregnant, along with Brussels Sprouts dominant female Arabella (VMPF035), Ubuntu dominant female Agazoth (VUBF039), and Vetkoeks dominant female Mooncake (VHMF053).   Dik-Diks dominant female Juliet gave birth, as did Zulus dominant female Leona (VZUF070), Jaxx dominant female Jub Jub (VJXF160), and Hogwarts dominant female Salazar (VZUF051).  There are indications that all of these litters are alive.

Trackie-Daks Unova VTDF037
Photo by Laura Salamone-Maiden

Vetkoeks had two intergroup interactions (IGIs) in August – one with Ubuntu and the other with Mandalore.  Both times Vetkoeks retreated, On August 2nd, (Whiskers natal) Mandalore adult male Floki (VWM241), approached the group multiple times but was war-danced away.

Female dominance at Trackie-Daks remains unknown. Chinchilla (VTDF029), a likely candidate for the position, left and returned to the group several times during the month but was absent at the end of the month. Another hopeful, Unova (VTDF037), has been gone from the group long enough to be considered emigrated out.

Hogwarts BuckbeakVHWM002 with Tolkien and Pushkin
Photo by Laura Salamone-maiden

Zulus was approached by Hogwarts subordinate yearling male Buckbeak (VHWM002), even following the group down into their sleeping burrow before being chased off.  Zulus was also approached by Brussels Sprouts adult male Gurke (VHMM036) who was also chased off.

Dik-Diks Devil VDDF005
Photo by Laura Salamone-Maiden

Dik-Diks subordinate adult female Tuna Fush II (VDDF026) and subordinate yearling females Devil (VDDF005) and Florentine (VDDF008) have been given their LAST SEEN. Elrond Council’s subordinate adult male Jatu (VECM071) was also given his LAST SEEN.

Find The August 2025 Meerkatter here.

Click here for the August 2025 Life History Chart.

For the latest Group Territories Map, click here.

Dik-Diks Florentine VDDF008
Photo by Laura Salamone-Maiden

Elrond’s Council Jatu VECM071 Photo by Laura Salamone-Maiden

Coquillette (VTSM014) in 2024

Gary (VTDM033) in 2024

With no sightings of Renegades dominant female Maya II (VGDF039) since the 10th of June, Renegades has been officially disbanded. Dominant male Coquillette (VTSM014) was opportunistically sighted on the 10th of July along with the group’s four subadults. All appeared thin and Coquillette had what could be a burst TB lump on his groin. The remains and radio collar of subordinate adult male Gary (VTDM033) was found in a bird’s nest.  The July Meerkatter reviews how TB can lead to the disbandment of a meerkat group.

Two of Alba’s four unnamed pups born in June, disappeared and are assumed predated. Similarly, two of six pups born in June to Side Quest dominant female Pumba (VZUF048) also disappeared.

Female dominance at Trackie-Daks is still unknown after the death of former dominant female Boubou (VTDF019) last month.

Whiskers Luna (VWF235) and Bruce (VWF266) in 2023

Whiskers pup Pintabean with Sheila (VWF267) 2023
Photo by Livio Flueeler

Female dominance also remains unknown at Whiskers. Adult female Sheila (VWF267) is confirmed pregnant.  Her littermate sister, Bruce (VWF266) aborted her litter on the 21st.

Following the disappearance of Vetkoeks dominant male Mion (VZUM057) last month, male dominance at Vetkoeks remains unknown.  Adult male Floki (VWM241) from Mandalore was seen approaching Vetkoeks three times during the month.

Ubuntu Vamoose (VUBM072)

Ubuntu yearling males Vamoose (VUBM072), Hightail (VUBM073) and Chakalaka (VUBM076) were all given their LAST SEEN.

Find the July 2025 Meerkatter here.

Click here for the July 2025 Life History Chart.

The July 2025 Group Territory Map can be found here.

Whiskers Sheila (VWF267) in back) and Bruce (VWF266) in 2023

Whiskers Soli (VWF281) in March 2025

Dramatic events continue to unfold with Whiskers. With former dominant female Archangel’s (VWF259) absence from the group on May 25th, dominance fell back on Gnoll (VWF262) – the only eligible female remaining in Whiskers.  But just four days later, natal females Kylie (VWF265), (pregnant) Bruce (VWF266) and Sheila (VWF267) returned to Whiskers and Gnoll left the group. The three females are vying for dominance but none have been confirmed. Juvenile female Soli (VWF281) did not wake up with the group on June 27 and has not returned by the end of the month.

Whiskers Archangel (VWF259)

Archangel was given her LAST SEEN.

Whiskers had an intergroup interaction with Mandalore.

Breeding season in the Kalahari  has extended into winter with eight pregnancies observed. Alba dominant female Cleopatra (VALF008) and Side Quest dominant female Pumba  (VZUF048) gave birth with pups still to emerge. Zulus dominant female Leona (VZUF070) gave birth with four pups emerging, and two pups from Jaxx dominant female Jub Jub’s (VZXF160) litter emerged. Two pups also emerged from Elrond’s Council dominant female Snoop Kat’s (VECF039) litter. Dik-Diks dominant female Juliet (VDDF009) aborted her litter.

Trackie-Daks Boubou (VTDF028)

Trackie-Daks dominant female Boubou (VTDF028) was found dead this month. Only her skull and radio-collar were found near the entrance of a bolt-hole. Female dominance at Trackie-Daks is now unknown.

Vetkoeks dominant male Mion (VZUM057), and sub-adult male Ody (VVKM021) were given their LAST SEEN.  Male dominance at Vetkoeks is undecided.

Vetkoeks had an intergroup interaction with Mandalore.

Brussels Sprouts Gurke (VHMM036)

Brussels Sprouts subordinate adult male Gurke woke up with Zulus on the 29th. He stayed with the group for a couple of hours the next morning before leaving.

Some individuals at Dik-Diks are sporting injuries from unknown causes. Dominant male Rufaro (VUBM046) has a scab and lumps on his cheeks; Subordinate yearling male Scramble (VDDM007) has bumps on both sides of his muzzle, and subordinate adult female Tuna Fish II (VGDF026) has scabs under her left shoulder and left thigh. Injuries have also been seen at Elrond’s Council. Adult male Jatu (VECM071) and dominant female Snoop Kat  have open wounds on their chests; dominant male Jonsnow (VECM070) has an open wound on his inner thigh and yearling female Cadenza (VECF059) has a wound on her muzzle.

Elrond’s Council Cadenza (VECF059) submitting to Snoop Kat (VECF039)

Lastly, no adult females were seen with Renegades by the end of the month. Dominant female Maya II (VGDF039) was not seen with the group on the 12th. She was showing signs of TB and is presumed dead. Renegades is likely to be officially disbanded in the upcoming weeks.

Find the June 2025 Meerkatter here.

Click here for the June 2025 Life History Chart.

The June 2025 Group Territory Map can be found here.