Guests can see meerkats hard at work on the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park.

Meerkats in the Wild
Busy above the ground and burrowing just beneath the surface, meerkats make their home the same way at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park as they do in the arid climates of Africa. A single meerkat complex can consist of up to 3 levels, 15 entrances and stretch more than 50 feet (15 m) across. The open plains of southwest Africa are the ideal habitat for meerkats, offering these dust-colored creatures the perfect combination of dry flatlands, short grasses and shrubby woodlands. Countries where meerkats are found include South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Angola.

Creating a habitat as engaging and ever-changing as the plains of Africa encourages natural behaviors and fosters a vibrant social environment for our meerkats.

Enrichment that Meerkats Dig
Hollowed melons, gourds and pumpkins are ideal sources of enrichment for these curious creatures. Offering meerkats new textures and tastes to dig into (literally!) encourages them to interact with their dynamic surroundings. Puzzle feeders that promote object manipulation also provide a pleasant challenge and tasty reward for our meerkats.

Carnivorous Creatures
In the wild, the diet of meerkats is varied and opportunistic. While they predominantly eat bugs and larvae, such as butterflies, crickets, termites and spiders, meerkats will also eat small animals and eggs. To mimic their carnivorous diet, Disney’s animal care experts provide the meerkats with an assortment of meat and bugs. The meerkats are trained to stand at a feeding “station” when it is mealtime to ensure that everyone in the colony receives the appropriate amount of nutrients every day.

All for One
The tight-knit social structure of meerkats is highly exclusive. When a meerkat leaves the group, there is no guarantee that they will be accepted back into the gang. This could cause problems if an individual meerkat was separated from its group for a medical exam or veterinary care–they may not be allowed to rejoin the group when they return. However, the solution to this conundrum is a simple one. Whenever a meerkat needs a checkup, the entire family makes the trip to the veterinarian together! This way, no one has to be separated from the group and no one is excluded.

The Walt Disney Company is passionately committed to the protection of meerkats and their natural habitats.

Threats to Meerkats
Meerkats are a widespread and hardy species that face few threats in the wild. While meerkats are not in danger of extinction and urgent conservation action is not currently needed to protect them, it is important to safeguard meerkat habitats to ensure that these busy burrowers continue to thrive for years to come.

Finding Refuge
Meerkats have large and well-established populations in managed and protected areas, which have led to their steady population numbers. Many African species find safe refuge in protected areas like national parks, which also provide opportunities for kids and families to get outdoors and connect with nature. The Disney Conservation Fund (DCF) supports work focused on protected areas and community involvement throughout Africa and the world.

Helping African Wildlife
Disney is working to protect many African animals like elephants, gorillas and rhinos with the help of the DCF. The fund supports nonprofit organizations’ efforts to study imperiled species in critical ecosystems and protect their habitats. This conservation work has positive effects for all animals in these habitats, including meerkats.