VIDEO
VIDEO
Meerkat Survival Tactics
Meerkat Survival Tactics
Clever creatures master predators and prey.
Grades
1 - 8
Subjects
Biology
Meerkats teach their young pups amazing behaviors and survival tactics. Meerkats are predators. They eat dangerous prey such as toxic millipedes and poisonous scorpions. In order to survive these hazardous food sources, meerkats teach the pups to remove stingers and toxins before eating them.
Fast Fact
- One defense tactic used by meerkat groups is to stand upright, puff up their fur, and band together. This forms an intimidating group.
Fast Fact
- Meerkats cleverly defend themselves by stirring up dust (to hide) before they retreat to a bolthole, or temporary burrow.
Fast Fact
- Meerkats defend themselves by standing upright and puffing up their fur. When a group of meerkats does this, it helps scare off predators.
Fast Fact
- Other times meerkats hide by stirring up dust so a predator can't see them. By the time the dust clears, the meerkats have escaped into a special burrow called a bolthole.
Credits
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Writer
Editor
National Geographic Program
Producer
other
Last Updated
August 20, 2026
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