Four meerkat pups are the newest additions to Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s lineup of animals.
Guests are invited to come see the litter of meerkat siblings, who were born Feb. 11. According to the zoo’s announcement, the 2-month-old pups, two male and two female, have “just begun venturing out in their habitat.”
The pups’ births mark the zoo’s first successful litter of meerkats since 2010. The pups’ mother, 2-year-old Naomi, and sire, 3-year-old Tebogo, both arrived at the zoo last April on a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums as part of its Species Survival Plan program.
“Each plan manages the breeding of a species to maintain a healthy and self-sustaining population that is both genetically diverse and demographically stable,” zoo officials said in a written statement.
Meerkats are small mammals found in the western areas of southern Africa that belong to the mongoose family of animals. They are born blind and “sparsely furred” before they open their eyes around the 2-week mark, the zoo said. Fully-grown meerkats are between 10-14 inches long with tails spanning seven to 10 inches long. Meerkats are known to sit up straight while on patrol, with some keeping an eye out for predators while their packmates search for food.
