Meerkats are small, highly social mammals native to the arid landscapes of southern Africa, particularly the Kalahari Desert. They are recognized for their distinctive upright posture, often standing on their hind legs to survey their surroundings. This stance reflects their group-oriented lifestyle, which is fundamental to their survival in a challenging environment. Their cooperative behaviors and complex social structures are a subject of fascination.
The Collective Name
A group of meerkats is most commonly referred to as a “mob.” This term effectively captures the dynamic and coordinated nature of their communal living. While “mob” is the predominant collective noun, other terms like “gang,” “clan,” “colony,” or “troop” are sometimes used. However, “mob” remains the most recognized descriptor for these highly interactive groups.
Life in a Meerkat Group
Meerkats live in groups ranging from two to fifty individuals, though typical mob sizes are between ten and fifteen. This communal living offers advantages, including safety against predators and efficient foraging. Within a mob, a strict social hierarchy exists, usually led by a dominant breeding pair. Non-breeding members, often called “helpers,” contribute to the group’s well-being.
Cooperative foraging is a daily activity for meerkats, as they spend five to eight hours searching for food. They primarily consume insects, but their diet also includes small reptiles, birds, eggs, roots, and fungi. While foraging, meerkats maintain group cohesion through frequent “close calls,” vocalizations that help members keep track of each other.
Sentinel duty is a key meerkat social behavior, where one or more individuals take turns acting as lookouts. Sentinels position themselves on elevated spots like rocks or termite mounds, scanning for threats such as birds of prey or snakes. They emit distinct calls, including a “watchman’s song” to signal safety or alarm calls to warn the group of danger, allowing others to forage with reduced vigilance.
Communal care of young is another aspect of meerkat social life. Pups are born underground, blind and deaf, and are entirely dependent on the group. Helpers, including both males and females, assist the dominant female in raising the young by babysitting, providing food, and teaching survival skills. This includes demonstrating how to handle and disarm dangerous prey, such as scorpions, ensuring the pups develop foraging abilities.