Wildlife of the World
Puzzle 04 · African Plains and Floodplains · Page 16 in print
Kalahari Meerkat
While a meerkat group digs for insects and other small prey, one animal may watch from a high perch; this sentinel duty is shared among members of the group.
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Meerkats sit upright together at the edge of their burrow.
Species reference for Kalahari Meerkat. The photograph does not necessarily show the population or place named in the puzzle.
(c) Peter Archdale, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original recordImage changes
Resized and converted to JPEG for display; no subject alteration.
A meerkat stands watch in the Kgalagadi.
Species reference for Kalahari Meerkat. The photograph does not necessarily show the population or place named in the puzzle.
(c) Justin Ponder, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original recordImage changes
Resized and converted to JPEG for display; no subject alteration.
The words
Alpha Female
Meerkat groups are led by an alpha pair, with the female dominant.
South African National Biodiversity Institute (opens a new tab)
Babysitters
Other females and males stay behind as babysitters to care for the pups.
Basking
Meerkats sit upright basking in the early-morning sun.
Bolt Hole
At an alarm, meerkats run for the nearest bolt hole.
Cape Cobra
A venomous snake that preys on meerkat pups.
Grubs
Insect larvae dug from the soil.
Meerkats eat insects such as grubs and termites.
Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (opens a new tab)
Insectivorous
Insect-eating: meerkats dig for insects and their larvae, although their diet also includes other small animals.
Kalahari
Many meerkat studies come from the southern Kalahari Desert.
Meerkat
Meerkats are gregarious foragers that hunt as a group.
Mobbing
Ganging up to drive off a predator.
Meerkats gang up on and mob predators.
Animal Diversity Web (opens a new tab) · South African National Biodiversity Institute (opens a new tab)
Mongoose
Meerkats are one of the smallest mongooses.
Scorpion
Meerkats bite scorpions to disable them before eating.
Sentinel
The lookout that watches while others feed.
While the mob forages, one meerkat acts as sentinel.
Suricata
Suricata is the genus in the meerkat’s scientific name, Suricata suricatta.
Tunnel
Meerkat burrows have two or three levels of tunnels.
Sources
- Kalahari Meerkat (source capture)South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)
- Kalahari Meerkat (source capture)San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
- Springbok Herds (source capture)Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
- Kalahari Meerkat (source capture)Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute