Life in a meerkat family
On a trip to Mata-Mata Camp in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, we had the privilege of photographing the daily comings and goings of a family of meerkats that had taken up residence in a burrow behind the chalets. In the morning the family, including the pups, would emerge from the burrow to warm and groom themselves before setting off on their foraging activities. It was fascinating to watch as the sentinels kept watch over the family from a suitable vantage point, sending out ‘all clear’ or alarm calls.
After the morning grooming session, the adults moved off leaving the babysitters to attend to the pups. In the late afternoon, the foraging members returned to the burrow to connect with the rest of the family for grooming and feeding before retiring for the night. The golden light provided superb photographic opportunities.
Story by Edmund Aylmer, taken from Photo Tales.
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