Category: General

Van Helsing in 2011 during better days.  Photo by KMP visitor Laura Salamone-Maiden

Habituation group Tswana is now comfortable enough with project volunteers to be dyed and therefore identifiable for data collection.  Significant gains have been made in Elrond Council’s habituation as well and now volunteers are able to follow the group for entire morning sessions.

Long-time project favorite, the Van Helsing group, is now gone with the loss of its two remaining adult females due to TB.  This beloved group was first seen in February 2008.  Van Helsing once numbering some 35 individuals, has been ravaged over the years by this devastating disease, ultimately to its demise.

Van Helsing dominant female Egg wearing a mini camera for the 2017 Animals With Cameras shoot. Photo by KMP visitor Laura Salamone-Maiden

For the August 2019 Life History details click here.

Find the August 2019 Meerkatter here.

Banksia while still a member of Van Helsing. Photo by KMP visitor Laura Salamone-Maiden

With the end of winter approaching, the rovers are on the move again seeking new opportunities.  After losing their fight for dominance at Namaqua, Whiskers rovers Bonnie (VWM209) and Clyde (VWM208) decided to settle in with Van Helsing, at least for the time being.  Their presence chased off the wild males who had made up almost half of the group.

In Make-e-Plan, dominant male Shamal (VVHM111) was overthrown by his younger brother, another Van Helsing male, Banksia (VVHM117).  Shortly thereafter,  Shamal was euthanized due to advanced TB symptoms.  Fortunately there are no other Make-e-Plan individuals displaying any signs of TB.

Little Creatures LL Cool J (VLM207) was given his last seen date.

Make-e-Plan dominant male Shamal. Photo by KMP visitor Laura Salamone-Maiden

For the July 2019 Life History details click here.

For the July 2019 Meerkatter click here.

Van Helsing continues to decline due to tuberculosis within the group, but are holding at 11 individuals including the five wild males that immigrated into the group a few months prior.

Progress continues to be made with the four habituation groups, albeit some faster than others. These groups are Elrond’s Council, Gold Diggers, (Little) Creatures and Tswana.

Hakuna Matata Flint Lockwood (VHMF001) is pregnant with her first litter as dominant female.

Flint Lockwood pregnant with first litter as a dominant. Photo by meerkat volunteer Lea Sueur

Click here for the June 2019 Life History chart.

Find the June 2019 Meerkatter here.

Sigma with then-pup Thursday in 2018. Photo by KMP visitor Laura Salamone-Maiden

May was all about female dominance. In Zulus, Spruddle (VZUF028) came out on top but not after losing her new litter to infanticide by younger sister Lentil (VZU032).  Female dominance battles also took place in Van Helsing with no real winner and all of the contenders showing signs of TB.  At Lazuli, Sigma (VLF230) quickly took over dominance with the disappearance of Filthy McNasty (VLF223) near the end of the month..

Click here for the May 2019 Life History chart.

Find the May 2019 Meerkatter here.

Filthy McNasty eating a young monitor lizard. Photo by KMP visitor Laura Salamone-Maiden