Dartmoor Zoo is thrilled to announce Slender-Tailed Meerkat (Suricata suricatta) couple; Ben and Geri have become parents to two tiny pups!
Travelling from Knockhatch Adventure Park and Woburn Safari Park, Ben and Geri, our breeding pair of Slender-Tailed Meerkats arrived at Dartmoor Zoo on Saturday 8th February where they were immediately introduced into their new habitat, Meerkat Manor. Upon introduction, Ben and Geri were quick to bond and have been inseparable ever since.
Dartmoor Zoo’s CEO David Gibson commented: “We are thrilled to welcome our new arrivals. The successful birth of the two new Meerkats is the start of us building a new Meerkat mob here at Dartmoor Zoo. It wouldn’t have been possible without the support from Promoting Children in Plymouth (PCIP) who funded Meerkat Manor and the pupils of Sir John Hunt School who helped us build this amazing habitat.”
The two new pups are becoming more confident as each day passes and can be seen exploring their new home. We kindly ask guests to keep noise to a minimum when visiting the meerkats, so they can continue to grow, explore and thrive.
Considered ‘Least Concern’ on the IUCN Red List, Slender-Tailed Meerkats are predominantly found in Savannahs, grasslands and desert areas of Southern Africa. Though Slender-Tailed Meerkats do not currently face any major population decline due to protected areas keeping their numbers stable, they can face natural threats such as predators or culling due to rabies.
Dartmoor Zoo’s Keeper Hannah Ivory commented: “Ben and Geri are proving themselves to be very good first-time parents as their wild instincts have taken hold and they are very much devoted to each other and are working cooperatively as a team to raise the pups. Ben takes over babysitting duties whilst Geri catches a mini break and it’s so sweet when he tries to give his food to the pups, despite them being too young at this point. Geri is very good at answering the pups’ calls and will help guide them out of their house into their outside area so they can begin to explore their exhibit and build their strength up. Being the size of your palm at the moment at only 3.5 weeks old, they are still a little wobbly as they are beginning to discover lots of new textures and fun items in their enclosure, even taking interest in some bright coloured enrichment already, but they much prefer to make an appearance in the quieter afternoons at the zoo. The whole team is excited to see how they bond as a family and see the pups learn the life of a meerkat!”
Meerkat Manor was built with funding from Promoting Children in Plymouth (PCIP) by the pupils of Sir John Hunt School, and without this fantastic, collaborative effort – we would not be celebrating these two new arrivals, so we are incredibly thankful for their support and hard work!
If you are a business interested in supporting future habitat builds, why not contact marketing@dartmoorzoo.co.uk to find out about this exciting opportunity and the marketing benefits available to you?
Don’t forget, with unlimited free visits if you upgrade your Dartmoor Zoo tickets to an annual pass, you can now visit our pups and watch them grow, as many times as you’d like – purchase your tickets and begin a year of Dartmoor Zoo, today: https://dartmoorzoo.digitickets.co.uk/tickets
To find out more about Dartmoor Zoo visit www.dartmoorzoo.org.uk
To gift a donation towards Dartmoor Zoo and their conservation work, please visit https://dartmoorzoo.digitickets.co.uk/category/61052?navItem=791764
Photos by Kira Butters, Content Creator