Category: General

Tragic happenings occurred with Gold Diggers this month.  Following the infanticide of three pups by pregnant subordinate female BMO (VGDF020), the remaining pups from three litters were abandoned when the group moved burrows.  Infanticide is discussed in this month’s Meerkatter.   Female dominance is still unsettled in Gold Diggers.

On February 3rd, Hakuna Matata left their usual territory for a neighboring farm where they cannot be followed.  Volunteers are checking their known territory on a regular basis for their return.

Alba pups
Photo by KMP visitor Laura Salamone-Maiden

Alba (formerly Make-e-Plan 4) Photo by KMP visitor Laura Salamone-Maiden

Elrond’s Council 2 is now officially a group and renamed Alba, Alba is the Scots- and Irish-Gaelic name for Scotland.  This group name was submitted by a Scottish meerkat volunteer and won the vote!

Make-e-Plan 4 is also now an official group and is renamed Brussels Sprouts.  Female dominance is unsettled between Arabella (VMPF035) and Vivienne (VMPF038), the only two adult females in the group.

Yet another meerkat is showing signs of tuberculosis at Namaqua.  Yearling

Namaqua Megara
Photo by KMP visitor Laura Salamone-Maiden

subordinate female Megara (VNQF020) was observed to have two small submandibular lumps and is losing weight.

For the February 2022 Meerkatter click here.

Find the February 2022 Life History Chart here.

Click here for the current Groups Territory Map.

Ubuntu in the flowers 2021. Photo credit Zoe Turner, Meerkat Manager

Ubuntu finally has a new dominant male after Scar’s (VUBM021) disappearance in April 2021 – Jumper (VTSM017) from Trackie-Daks.  Four Ubuntu girls gave birth in January, including dominant female Daisy (VBBF111).

This month tuberculosis took another Namaqua meerkat.  This time it was yearling subordinate female Hiccup

Hiccup as a pup in March 2020. Photo credit Laura Salamone-Maiden

(VNQF016).  She had been suffering from TB since late September 2021.  On a more positive note, Namaqua dominant female, Manzai (VNQF013), gave birth to four pups.

Gold Diggers dominant female, Cleo (VGDF013), was given her last seen after having left the group in December.  Dominance competitions are taking place amongst three adult littermates, Fleabag (VGDF005), Goldeneye (VGDF007) and Juliet (VGDF009). Time will tell who comes out on top.

Gold Diggers on the move 2021. Photo credit Bieke Maex, Life History Coordinator

For the January 2022 Meerkatter click here.

Click here for the January 2022 Life History Chart.

Find the January 2022 Territories Map here.

Zulus Jay-A-Rod. Photo by KMP visitor Laura Salamone-Maiden

There was a lot of drama and change in the new subgroup Make-e-Plan 4, initially made up of two Make-e-Plan females and three Namaqua males.  This month, the two females Arabella (VMPF035) and Vivienne (VMP038) left the Namaqua boys behind and joined up with notorious Hakuna Matata rover, Shandy (VHMM023), who attained dominance, Gurke (VHMM036) and Slop (VLM283). While both Arabella and Vivienne are likely pregnant, the battle for female dominance continues.

Another subgroup, Elrond’s Council 2, has also formed consisting of five Elrond Council females and adult subordinate male Jay-A-Rod (VWM216) and subordinate yearling male Godric (VZUM053), both from Zulus.  Jay-A-Rod and Pippin (VECF003) are the dominant pair.

Pumba in 2020. Photo by KMP visitor Laura Salamone-Maiden

The Side Quest mob has increased to 11 individuals after dominant female Pumba (VZUF048) gave birth to three pups this month.

Whiskers now has 15 individuals with Swift (VWF176) and Brea (VLM157) continuing as the dominant couple.

Whiskers Brea and Swift in 2020. Photo by KMP Life History Coordinator Shaz Alderton

Gold Diggers dominant female Cleo (VGDF013) was missing at the end of the month.   Her three pups emerged mid-December but have been given their last seen after not been seen for 10 consecutive days.

For the December 2021 Meerkatter click here.

Click here for the December 2021 Life History Chart.

Click here for the current Group Territories map.

Trackie-Daks Sketchy Bongo, July 2021. Photo credit Tara Naeser, Meerkat Volunteer

This month’s Meerkatter features the goings-on with Trackie-Daks.  Dominant female BB (VTDF010) was given her last seen after disappearing in late October.  Adult subordinate male Sketchy Bongo (VTSM019) emigrated into Make-e-Plan. Several other Trackie-Daks individuals were also given their last seen and by the end of this month the group was down to 10 individuals from 16.  Adult subordinate male Sushi (VTSM006) has been displaying dominance behaviors at Make-e-Plan as dominant male Banksia (WVHM117) has yet to resurface and has been given his last seen.  Female dominance in Trackie-Daks has not been sorted out among the two remaining females, Fergalicious (VTSF020) and Tara

Trackie-Daks Tara, July 2021. Photo credit Tara Naeser, Meerkat Volunteer

(VTDF001).

Only one pup remains out of four born to Elrond Council’s subordinate female Pippin (VECF003) in late October.

Dominant females from Elrond Council, Gold Diggers, Jaxx, Lazuli, Namaqua, Runaways, and Side Quest are all pregnant or gave birth this month.

Elrond’s Council pup, September 2021. Photo credit Maddie Koeplin, Meerkat Volunteer

For the November Meerkatter click here.

Click here for the November Life History Chart.

For the November Group Territories Map click here.