Meerkat for Kids Ages 3-12

Meerkat

Kiri the meerkat describes her life in the Kalahari Desert. She explains how her family, called a 'mob,' works together to find food and stay safe. Kiri details the important job of the sentry, who uses different calls to warn of eagles or snakes. She also shares how older meerkats taught her to hunt scorpions, a behavior studied by scientists around 2006. The story emphasizes the importance of teamwork in surviving the desert and highlights the meerkats' positive impact on their ecosystem.

First Described 1776

Kalahari Meerkat Project Established c. 1993

Kiri the Meerkat's Desert Adventure

Hi there. My name is Kiri, and I'm a meerkat. I live in the big, sunny Kalahari Desert in southern Africa with my family, which we call a 'mob.' My kind has been scampering around here for a very long time, but scientists first described us scientifically as Viverra suricatta in 1776; the genus Suricata was assigned later. Our home is a giant sandbox with lots of underground tunnels, and my favorite thing to do is start the day with a big, warm sunbath with my whole family.

Every day is a team effort in my mob. After our morning sunbath, most of us get busy looking for food. But one of us always has the most important job: sentry duty. We take turns climbing up on the highest termite mound or bush to be the lookout. If I spot a scary eagle in the sky, I let out a special high-pitched bark. If I see a snake slithering on the ground, I make a different chattering sound. This way, everyone knows exactly where the danger is coming from and can dash into our burrow, our amazing underground city, for safety. Our burrows have many rooms and entrances, keeping us safe from the hot sun and any predators that might be nearby.

My favorite food is crunchy beetles, but the trickiest meal to catch is a scorpion. When I was a little pup, my mom and older brothers taught me how to hunt them. First, they brought me a scorpion that couldn't sting me anymore so I could practice. As I got better, they brought me one that was a little more challenging. Scientists who studied us around the year 2006 found this really interesting, because it's a special kind of teaching that not many animals do. Now, I know exactly how to sneak up on a scorpion, bite off its stinger, and enjoy my meal. It’s a very important skill to have in the desert.

The most important rule in our mob is that we always help each other. When my auntie had new pups, everyone in the mob helped babysit. We take turns watching the little ones, bringing food back for the babysitters, and teaching the pups our mob's rules. Living in the desert can be tough, but when you have a big family looking out for you, it feels like the safest place in the world. We share everything—our food, our home, and the responsibility of keeping everyone safe.

As a meerkat, my story is all about teamwork. By working together, we don't just survive, we thrive. We help keep the desert ecosystem in balance by eating lots of insects and other small critters. Burrowing mammals contribute to soil mixing, which can benefit plants; however, specific evidence directly linking meerkat burrowing to these benefits is limited. My hope is that when people see us standing tall together, it reminds them that looking out for your family and community is one of the most powerful things you can do. We are still here in the Kalahari, watching over our homes and families, together.