The safari drive takes you through Lion Country, allowing you to watch the pride without a fence between them and your vehicle.
Female lions do the hunting
Read moreCategory: Carnivores
Location: Foot Safari
About Meerkats
Meerkats are incredibly sociable animals. These small mammals are part of the mongoose family and have an insectivorous diet. At Knowsley Safari, we have a mob meerkats who live next to the Equatorial Express on the Foot Safari.
In the wild, meerkats live in the desert in western parts of South Africa. They like semi-arid conditions and usually live in the Kalahari Desert in Botswana.
Meerkats live in a family group, called a mob, of up to 50 meerkats so there are more eyes to look for danger. Each adult in the group has a role as a babysitter, teacher, hunter or lookout. The lookout, or sentry, take turns looking for predators. Upon spotting potential danger, the sentry will sound an alert and the mob will run for safety in their underground burrows.
Name: Meerkat
Location: Kalahari Desert in Botswana and other semi-arid areas of western South Africa
Population: No EEP but around 3,400 in zoos across the world
Status: Least Concern
Threats: Birds of prey and snakes
Fun facts about Meerkats
Although meerkats are small and cute, they have very sharp teeth which helps them to hunt for food. Whether you are preparing for your visit to the safari or just want to know a bit more about the petit mammals you’ve seen on the adverts, we have some marvellous meerkat facts. Learn more about the meerkats when you visit them on the Foot Safari.
- Meerkats belong to the Mongoose family
- They are social animals and must live within a meerkat mob
- Meerkats can live for up to 14 years
- They are lead by an alpha female who is the only female in the mob to mate
- Meerkats eat meat & insects such as snakes, spiders & scorpions
- Meerkats stand at 35cm tall, weighing up to 975g
Meerkat facts - Your questions answered!
Meerkats are insectivores , which means their diet is mainly made up of insects. As opportunistic eaters, they mostly eat invertebrates such as spiders and scorpions as well as small animals like snakes, lizards and even eggs.
In the wild, meerkats live in the desert and grasslands in Botswana and Namibia. They like dry, open areas like savannahs and scrublands and are typically found in the Kalahari Desert in Botswana and South Africa.
As cute and cuddly as they look, meerkats do not make for suitable pets. They are social animals with very specific requirements that are not achievable in a domestic setting. They also have a funky smell which you won’t want lingering around your home, so it’s probably best to avoid.
In the wild, meerkats usually live for an average of 7-10 years. In captivity, they can have a lifespan of up to 14 years.
Meerkats grow to around 50cm long, including their tails, and stand to around 35cm tall from top to toe. They have bushy light brown fur with darker markings. The dark circles around their eyes helps avoid the glare of the sun, allowing them to see into the distance. They also protective membrane across their eye to protect their eyes whilst they are digging.
As social animals, meerkats live in big groups called a mob, gang or a clan. Often, groups of meerkat families will come together to form a large mob of up to 50 meerkats.
Meet our meerkats
Where to see the meerkats at Knowsley Safari
Come face to face with our meerkats on the foot safari, right next to the Equatorial Express.
Want to get even closer to the meerkats?
Step behind the scenes for a meerkat encounter to learn more about the animals and have the chance to feed them.
Attractions and experiences
Meet us right next to the meerkats for talks at 1:00pm and 3:00pm. (Due to governemnt guidelines animal talks are not currently running)
Carnivores
African Lions
Carnivores
African Lions
The safari drive takes you through Lion Country, allowing you to watch the pride without a fence between them and your vehicle.
Female lions do the hunting
Read more
Carnivores
Amur Tiger
Our tigers moved into their brand new home on the Foot Safari in 2018
The tiger is the biggest species of the cat family
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Carnivores
Amur Tiger
Our tigers moved into their brand new home on the Foot Safari in 2018
The tiger is the biggest species of the cat family
Read more
Carnivores
Bush Dogs
Bush dogs are a member of the canid family originally from Central and South America.
They're the smallest wild pack hunting dog on the planet
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Carnivores
Bush Dogs
Bush dogs are a member of the canid family originally from Central and South America.
They're the smallest wild pack hunting dog on the planet
Read more
Carnivores
California Sea Lion
As their name suggests, California sea lions come from the western coastline of North America, but their true home range reaches from Mexico to as far north as Canada.
California Sea Lions can swim at 25mph
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Carnivores
California Sea Lion
As their name suggests, California sea lions come from the western coastline of North America, but their true home range reaches from Mexico to as far north as Canada.
California Sea Lions can swim at 25mph
Read more