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Meerkats hanging around


Meerkats hanging around
Photo Information
Copyright: Nel Diepstraten (NellyD) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 362 W: 0 N: 697] (2745)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-06-25
Categories: Humorous
Camera: Canon 350 D
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-07-29 7:48
Viewed: 2018
Points: 26
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I visited Gaiapark Zoo in Kerkrade and saw these cute little meerkats. I photographed them when they were just hanging around :-)

From the internet:

Meerkats don't really wear sunglasses, but they do have dark patches of fur around their eyes. These eye patches act like sunglasses, protecting the animal's vision in harsh sunlight.

Except for the black eye patches and black ears, the meerkat's head is white. Its body hair is multi-colored: light gray with black tips over most of the body, with several black stripes across the back.

Adult meerkats are about one foot long - but add another eight inches for the tail! Females can be larger than males.

These little critters are built for digging burrows. Their front feet have long, powerful claws for moving dirt. Since all that tunneling makes a mess, their ears fold back to keep out the dirt.

Meerkats forage for food near their burrows, turning over stones and rooting in crevices. Though their favorite food is a tasty insect, meerkats aren't picky: they'll also eat small mammals and reptiles, scorpions, centipedes, worms, eggs, tubers, and roots.

Meerkats live in groups with several adults, but only one male and one female (the alpha pair) are the "official" breeders for the group. When the alpha female is ready to breed, she chases off the other mature females. Even so, other females sometimes do mate.

The alpha female gives birth to a litter of two to five pups. The other females baby-sit the new pups, and any females who are lactating (producing milk) will help the alpha female to nurse. If any of these other females give birth to their own pups, they'll try to sneak them into the litter of the alpha female. If she discovers the imposters, she shows no mercy: she will kill and eat them.

During their first weeks of life, young meerkats' diet gradually changes from milk to more solid food. By the age of four months, they're completely weaned. At that time, young meerkats pair up with adult "mentors" of the same sex to learn how to forage for food and escape danger.
limba3, s_a_s_h_a, GreenBaron, Werewolf, Hendrika, XOTAELE, PierreFrigon has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To kristies: Hoi Kristy,NellyD 1 08-16 07:09
To GreenBaron: Hoi Hans,NellyD 1 08-01 04:02
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • limba3 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1042 W: 468 N: 527] (15992)
  • [2007-07-29 7:51]

He
Charming. Beautiful animals and very much it is interesting. I could see the film at one time how they are dancing.
Anna

Hi Nel,
Lovely view to these nice meerkats, good colors and composition.

Best Regards,
Alex

I find the scene amusing... We are here to look at them but the feeling it's them who look at something! Postures is very funny! I enjoy the way the last one seem have attention on another detail then the others :)

Hi Nel,
I like very much this little meerkats and the way they are standing :) Cute one! Nice capture.

Have a lovely day!
Ioana

Hello Nel,
They are always posing do funny!
Like here, totally cute but with divided attention this time, normally they seem to be focusing the same thing...
well captured indeed!
Greetings,
Pablo -

Hi Nel,
Leuk die alternatieve zonnebrillen om hun ogen - weer een weetje!
Het blijven toch de leukste beestjes die er zijn door hun groepsverband en hun houding en omdat ze gewoon very cute zijn.
TFS
Els

Hallo Nelly.
Het zijn zeker Meer- kats (veelvoud haha)
Prachtig vastgelegd.
Jan

Hello Nel

Excllent work with a great captured excllent colors bg POV DOF excllent details very crisp Well done Phooto

TFS Kyle

Hoi Nel,
LOL...altijd weer leuk deze beestjes, volg je hun ook op Discovery Channel? Prachtig vast gelegd hoor, mooi scherp. Fijne presentatie, toppertje!
Hans

:) Later...

Hola Nel.
Estupendo retrato de familia.
Buenos colores y magníficos detalles.
Buena nota amiga.
Hasta pronto, JL.

Hello Nely
Beautifull family and where is Timon?
Lithle joke,ok?
Beautiful image
Cheers,Braca

ha ha... wat een grappige beestjes zijn het toch !!
Erg leuk plaatje !
Nog nooit van dit dierenpark gehoord.. maar lijkt me zeker de moeite waard om eens heen te gaan..

TFS Greetz Kristy

LOL!!!!! What a sight. Looks like they are doing a synchronized dance :-).
Excellent capture.
Pierre

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