Can you see the family resemblance?
Honestly, we're not sure who decided that July 24 was Cousins Day, but we're all for it—and these meerkats look like they are too. A clan (also called a mob, gang, or manor) usually contains about 20 or 30 meerkats, but some extended families have 50 or more. Females can detect the odor of their kin and use it to avoid inbreeding. They’re native to southern Africa, including the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, which is where this clan was photographed.
Quick fact: Meerkats take turns babysitting the young in the group and protecting them from threats.
Lifespan: 12 – 14 years (In captivity)
Family: Herpestidae
Trophic level: Carnivorous Encyclopedia of Life
Scientific name: Suricata suricatta
Mass: Male: 1.6 lbs (Adult), Female: 1.6 lbs (Adult)
Did you know: A clan of meerkats will always have one "sentry" on guard to watch out for predators while the others forage for food.
