The “fab four” move in!
Wednesday 18 June 2008
Four cheeky “pop-stars” are finding their way around at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo after moving in to their new home at the weekend. And being meerkats, they were delighted to find it’s full of holes!
© J. O’Reilly
The four meerkats - John, Paul, George and Ringo – named after the most famous Fab Four, The Beatles, love holes and popping into and out of burrows and their new purpose-built enclosure at Whipsnade is ideal.
The male quartet arrived from our sister collection, ZSL London Zoo and like any newcomers they are proud to welcome visitors around their fabulous new pad.
The meerkat exhibit – a first for ZSL Whipsnade Zoo - can be found just inside the entrance of the Lions of the Serengeti enclosure.
The lively meerkats are sure to provide fun viewing for zoo visitors as they watch these highly sociable animals having fun in the sun.
The four will also be out in force to enjoy Zoo Nights on July 4th, when ZSL Whipsnade Zoo stays open late for an evening of displays, entertainment and beautiful views of animals as the sun sets on the Chiltern Hills.
Did you know?
Meerkats are highly sociable animals that live in extensive burrow systems.- A group of meerkats is called a "mob" or a "gang" and in the wild there are usually five to thirty members.
- One adult can almost always be seen famously ‘keeping watch’ over the group from on high.
- Meerkats are sun worshippers; members of the adult group can often be seen sunbathing upright with their paws outstretched like angels!
- They have natural ‘sunglasses’; the dark markings around their eyes serve to protect them from the powerful glare of the sun.
- They are extremely helpful animals and various other adults will babysit the youngsters while the mother feeds.
