In Feldman Ecopark the amicable family of public’s favorites – meerkats has recruitment. Six newcomers arrived within the framework of the programme of free exchange among zoos attached themselves to the Regional Landscape Park’s five old residents.
“Meerkats are very friendly and contact animals – the deputy director Feldman Ecopark Valery Ivashchenko noted. – The newcomers feel well; amusedly eat meat, zophobas and eggs. Soon they will lodge in the winter heating enclosure – these animals from the African desert are very thermophilic”.
Meerkat is a mammal from the mongoose family. They are widespread in South Africa (generally — near the Kalahari Desert: in the territory of southwest Angola, Namibia, Botswana and the Republic of South Africa). The body mass – 700-750 g, length – from 25 to 35 cm, tail length (thin and narrowed to the end) — from 17, 5 to 25 cm. The fur coloration is usually orange-brown, has the distinctive black-stripped pattern, a tail is tinted yellow, a tail tip is black. Meerkats are the only predatory animals uniting in colonies; refer to the active digging animals. Meerkat colonies dig holes (usually from 1,5 meters and deeper) which have several entrances. In most cases meerkats eat insects, lizards, snakes, scorpions, spiders, myriapods, bird’s eggs, vegetable components are also added to the meerkat’s diet.
