The meerkat mob at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium just got a little bigger! Moms Keeya and Naledi each recently gave birth to four healthy kits behind the scenes at the zoo. Keeya’s kits, born in mid-March, are beginning to explore their habitat in the Kids’ Zone area this week. Guests may catch a glimpse of them, though the kits are free to choose whether they want to venture out or stay near their den. Meanwhile, Naledi’s litter, born earlier this month, is still bonding with mom in their behind-the-scenes den.
“We’re thrilled to welcome these pups to the mob,” said Natalie Davis, a curator at the zoo. “Each birth is a wonderful opportunity to connect guests with this fascinating species.”
A group of meerkats is called a mob or a gang, and Point Defiance Zoo’s growing crew is proving just how dynamic and close-knit these animals can be.
“They are such curious, interactive animals, and observing what they get up to each day is very enjoyable,” said Natalie Davis, curator at the Zoo. “Meerkats are social animals that spend much of their time grooming and playing together.”
Keeya and Naledi’s pregnancies lasted about eleven weeks, typical for meerkats. Litters generally include three to four pups, though up to eight is possible. In the wild, meerkats often give birth during the rainy season when food is plentiful.
At birth, meerkat pups are tiny—just under an ounce—and mostly hairless, with their eyes and ears closed. But they grow fast: their eyes open at around two weeks, they begin eating solid food at three weeks, and by week four, they start venturing outside their den. By nine weeks, they are fully weaned and just as adventurous as the rest of the mob.
Native to the African savannah, meerkats are part of the mongoose family. These weasel-like creatures are built for life in arid, sandy environments. They sport dark eye patches to reduce glare from the sun and have protective membranes to shield their eyes while digging. Their nonretractable claws and ear-closing adaptations make them expert burrowers.
“They are fascinating animals,” said Davis. “From their unique adaptations to survive arid African environments to their complex social dynamics and unique vocalizations, there are so many interesting things for zoo guests to learn about meerkats.”
The meerkats live in the Kids’ Zone area of the zoo, where they enjoy a habitat designed to mimic the African savannah—complete with rocky outcrops, tunnels, and lookout spots perfect for scouting and play.
