New meerkats (Courtesy: Racine Zoo)
RACINE, Wis. - Racine Zoo announced the arrival of four new meerkats, which went on exhibit Thursday, Aug. 21.
Madison → Racine
Local perspective:
A group of meerkats is known as a "mob," and this mob is all siblings: brothers Teak, Baobab and Cedar and a sister, Acacia. The mob arrived at the zoo early this summer, settled in and recently passed their quarantine time with a clean bill of health.
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"We are so excited that Racine Zoo is able to bring back such a popular and charismatic species for zoo visitors," Dan Powell, the zoo's curator of animal care, said in a statement.
New meerkats (Courtesy: Racine Zoo)
The meerkats were born at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison on Aug. 21, 2024 – exactly one year before they went on exhibit in Racine. The two Wisconsin zoos worked together to move the mob as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' "Meerkat Species Survival Plan." The program allows zoos to work together to maximize genetic diversity and long-term sustainability of various threatened and endangered species.
Teak, Baobab, Cedar and Acacia can be found at Racine Zoo's "Meerkat Manor," which is located next to the African penguins at the center of the zoo.
More about meerkats
Dig deeper:
Racine Zoo said meerkats are a small mongoose native to the arid regions of Southern Africa. They live in communal groups of up to 30 individuals, and work together to find food, defend the mob and monitor for threats. They are well known for their ability to stand on their hind feet while on sentry duty, monitoring for any threats to the colony.
Because they live in groups, the zoo said meerkats have a complex social structure and hierarchy to determine which member completes various tasks. These groups are often led by female members or breeding pairs.
Meerkats are primarily insectivorous, eating beetles and other insects they find in their environment. According to the Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, they live for about 10 years in human care.
The Source: Racine Zoo released information about the meerkats' arrival. FOX6 News also referenced information from the Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.