Brace yourself for a cuteness overload – five ridiculously adorable meerkat pups have been born at Adelaide Zoo!
Keepers were delighted to find the bundles of joy on August 12 after being born to parents Miney and Swazi overnight.
The babies, who are yet to be sexed, have spent their first few weeks of life in the privacy of their burrow being closely looked after by mum and dad.
Now at almost one month old, the youngsters are beginning to venture out of the den to enjoy some spring sunshine and explore their home.
Adelaide Zoo Keeper Jeremy Glass said the new additions were settling in well under the watchful eye of their parents and the rest of the meerkat mob.
“The babies are growing up beautifully, Miney and Swanzi are doing an excellent job taking turns swapping between tending to the pups and at sentry duty guarding the burrow,” Jeremy said.
“While the pups are still incredibly tiny they are starting to get more adventurous out of the burrow to enjoy the sun.
“Visitors wanting to catch a glimpse should come first thing in the morning or when the sun is shining.”
Visitors to Adelaide Zoo will start to see the pups in their habitat in front of the Giraffe for short periods each day, as they grow in confidence and start to explore the outside world.
The pups’ sex will be confirmed during a visit to the Animal Health Centre in the coming weeks, where they will also receive their first vaccinations and an overall health examination.
As a conservation charity which exists to save species from extinction, Adelaide Zoo is proud to have bred more than 80 Meerkats since 1993.
Meerkats are native to southern Africa and can be found in the Kalahari Desert. They have adapted to living in very harsh conditions and climate, with little water, limited food and many predators.
