First new addition to the meerkat family at ZooParc Overloon in years

Visitors to ZooParc Overloon can admire a special new addition: four meerkats have been born. The cubs were born a few weeks ago in the underground tunnel system of their enclosure and made their first appearance outside on Wednesday, September 24.

“It’s been years since we last welcomed meerkat pups at ZooParc. We’re therefore incredibly happy about this birth,” says Head of Animal Care Max Kronier. The keepers had already suspected something was up, as the female had been spending a bit more time underground in recent weeks. She lived there with a male, the cubs’ father.

Now that the cubs have crawled out of the den, they will gradually begin to explore their surroundings. However, they will still spend a fair amount of time underground. The four cubs are still nursing from their mother, and their sex is not yet known. Kronier: “We’re leaving them alone as much as possible for now, so they can explore their enclosure at their own pace. We’ll be able to determine their sex in a little while.”  

Underground Protection  

Meerkats are born blind, deaf, and hairless after a gestation period of about two and a half months. They therefore spend their first few weeks in a safe burrow, deep underground. These tunnel systems can be up to three meters deep and consist of countless chambers and exits. The underground structure protects the animals from predators and extreme temperatures.

In the wild, meerkats live in the semi-arid regions of Southern Africa, including Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Mozambique. There, they play an important role within their social groups, protecting one another and foraging for food together.

Images: ZooParc & Annoek Verbeek-Peters