Lincoln Park Zoo welcomes new female meerkats from Wisconsin

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Maureen Leahy Vice President, Animal Care & Horticulture | Lincoln Park Zoo

Lincoln Park Zoo welcomes new female meerkats from Wisconsin

Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago has introduced three new female meerkats to its Regenstein African Journey exhibit. The meerkats, named Clover, Violet, and Dahlia, are forming their own group known as a mob and will live separately from the zoo's existing mob. These juveniles, approximately 1.5 years old, were born at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wisconsin.

Their relocation was recommended by the Meerkats Species Survival Plan, a cooperative effort among institutions within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to manage populations effectively.

Meerkats operate under a matriarchal system where females hold dominance. Within a mob, one meerkat always serves as a sentinel to watch for predators while others forage. If danger is detected, the sentinel emits a shrill call to alert others. Visitors can observe this behavior at Lincoln Park Zoo when visiting the meerkat habitat.

"Meerkats’ social nature and cooperation with one another is a great lesson that all of us can learn from," stated Cassy Kutilek, Curator at Lincoln Park Zoo. "Clover, Dahlia, and Violet are no exception; one of them is always on alert."

Meerkats are small members of the mongoose family native to southern Africa. Their diet mainly consists of insects such as grubs and termites. Known for their vocalizations ranging from growls to alarm barks, they have distinctive dark patches around their eyes which help reduce glare from sunlight.

Currently listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, meerkats face no immediate threat of endangerment or extinction.

Lincoln Park Zoo continues its mission to inspire communities toward wildlife conservation amid urban development challenges. Established in 1868 as a not-for-profit organization in Chicago, it remains open year-round without an admission fee.

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