Zoolung Animals

Yeongdeungpo Hanam Dongtan Gyeongju

Meerkat

Meerkats take turns standing guard during the day to protect their colony. Because they constantly look around, they’ve earned the nickname “guardians of the desert.” The fur around a meerkat’s eyes is black to absorb sunlight and protect their eyes in the harsh desert environment. It’s the same reason baseball players paint the area under their eyes black. It’s essential for staying alert in the desert!

Category

Order Carnivora Family Herpestidae
Habitat

Open terrain with a dry climate
Diet

Omnivorous, with insects as its primary food source

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Gyeongju

Guardian of Life Berry

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Dongtan

Meet & Treat: Meercat

Species

Social mammals

A small mammal belonging to the mongoose family, it is known for its highly organized social structure.

Place of discovery

Southern Africa

It is found primarily in southern Africa, including the Kalahari and Namib deserts.

Habitat

Dry grasslands and deserts

They prefer hot, dry environments such as dry, open grasslands, deserts, and savannas.

Diet

Carnivorous (primarily insects)

It is a carnivorous animal that feeds on insects, caterpillars, spiders, scorpions, small reptiles, and bird eggs.

Action

Cooperation and Surveillance

They live in groups of 20 to 50 individuals, and exhibit a distinctive behavior in which one member stands watch from a high vantage point to ensure the safety of the group.

Average size

Length: 25–35 cm

Its body length is about 25–35 cm, and its tail length is about 17–25 cm, making it a small species.

Features

Resistant to scorpion venom

They have a high level of immunity and resistance to the venom of scorpions commonly found in the desert, so they often feed on scorpions.

Lifespan

6–7 years in the wild, 12–14 years in captivity

In the wild, they live for about 6 to 7 years, but in captivity, where there are no predators, they can live up to 12 to 14 years.