Meerkats are extremely social and practice cooperative breeding. Beta males and females pitch in to help tend the alpha couples' young. A meerkat making a meal out of a deadly scorpion is up next.
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Meerkats have developed a technique for handling the venom found in scorpions they commonly eat. See a meerkat pup next.
Image Credit: Oxford Scientific Films
One of three baby meerkats watches from its enclosure at Bristol Zoo in England. Next see meekats standing guard, watching for predators.
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Meerkats stand guard as sentinels, on the lookout for danger. How do meerkat pups sharpen their skills? Find out in the next picture.
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By wrestling with the other youngsters in the gang, meerkats may learn to better keep outsiders at bay. A speedy meerkat is up next.
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A meerkat runs with its tail held high and eyes sharp. Meerkats live in communal groups, called gangs. See an example of this next.
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A group of meerkats stands guard in a field as others forage. Next, see a meerkat who has taken the position of sentinel.
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A meerkat stands sentinel, on guard for threats to the rest of the gang. Next up, see where a meerkat lives.
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Two meerkats look out from the security of their underground burrow in the Kalahari Desert. Burrows are used for protection, sleeping and breeding. See a meerkat on defense next.
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A meerkat growling and bearing his teeth would be a scary sight to come across. Up next, see Punk, an alpha female meerkat.
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Punk is a meerkat from the Zappa group, who became the dominant female at the end of Animal Planet's "Meerkat Manor," season 3. See a mighty generous meerkat up next.
Image Credit: Chad Henning/DCL
As the sun goes down in the Kalahari desert, a meerkat warms another group member. Next, see a group of playful meerkats.
Image Credit: Chad Henning/DCL
These meerkats are playing at the Kuruman River Reserve in the Kalahari desert in Africa. Next see a daily ritual of the meerkat world.
Image Credit: Chad Henning/DCL
Meerkats brush and clean each other's fur with their claws and teeth -- and they've even figured out that their claws are a good substitute for floss. A gutsy meerkat is up next.
Image Credit: Chad Henning/DCL
This meerkat is climbing in a tree, watching for eagles, snakes and other predators. See an up close of meerkat claws up next.
Image Credit: Chad Henning/DCL
Meerkats use their claws for burrowing, defense, eating and more. Next see the most famous of all meerkats.
Image Credit: Chad Henning/DCL
Flower, the leader of the Whiskers mob from Animal Planet's "Meerkat Manor," died while defending her pups from a cobra. Finally, see an image of a meerkat gang blending in with their habitat.
Image Credit: Oxford Scientific Films
Meerkats are social, diurnal (active during the day) animals who live in gangs of about 2 to 50. Check out our suite of meerkat articles to learn more about meerkats.
Image Credit: Chad Henning/DCL
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