Aww, come meer to me

By Alex Redmond

Fota Wildlife Park has announced the arrival of two new meerkat pups and as is tradition, the people of Cork have been tasked with naming them!

Born on 22 June to mother, Biggy, the pups join an already thriving meerkat community at the park.

Characterised as a socially curious animal, the meerkat is a member of the mongoose family and spends its time digging and foraging for food such as insects, roots, eggs, small reptiles, and scorpions.

Mum, Biggy, originally comes from Dieren Park Zoo in The Netherlands, arrived in Fota alongside her sister in May 2023. On arrival, she was paired with Fota’s own male meerkat, Snaggle.

Lead Ranger, Teresa Power, said: “Biggy had been closely monitored by the animal care team for possible pregnancy after a noticeable weight gain in May. On the morning of 22 June, when Biggy and Snaggle did not come out for breakfast, we suspected that Biggy had given birth in an underground burrow, a common birthing practice for meerkats.”

Following the birth, Biggy could be seen at feeding time, while the rest of the group babysat the new pups.

The pups have been thriving ever since, first being nursed by their mother and finally beginning to eat solid food on 21 July.

Now, they can be seen roaming independently around the habitat, becoming familiar with their new home under the watchful eye of their mother.

Fota Wildlife Park is encouraging everyone to come and see the new pups and most importantly, help to choose a name via fotawildlife.ie for a chance to win a conservation pass.