meerkat pups discover a new toy

meerkats are innately curious and the pups are especially so. Here they have discovered a snail shell and are playing with it enthusiastically. At one point the shell rolls down between some rocks and they frantically try to retrieve it
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For the most part, it is Sayuri that is playing with the snail. She is recognizable by her extremely short tail. She was born with damage to the nervous system, that causes problems with her sense of balance and movement coordination, and at a few weeks of age it was not clear whether she would survive, as she had trouble even crawling out of the burrow.

However she has managed surprisingly well to cope with her handicap, and it is perhaps because of this, that she has become extremely persistent at everything she does - defending her food and playthings with extreme vigor against all rivals (even adults).

At writing this update (December 2008) she is at five months of age in many circumstances the most daring, inquisitive and assertive of the young meerkats - and sometimes, of the entire mob. Watching her overcome the difficulties fate has laid in her way and develop into her own little meerkat personality has been a true delight.

Occasionally she will still suffer little undignified icidents such as tumbling off of some lookout point or unwillingly flipping on her back while rolling around a piece of food... but she instantly recovers and never gives up at whatever she is trying to do.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• meerkat
• suricate
• surykatki
• erdmännchen
• pups
• pup
• baby
• animal
• park
• play
• snail
• shell
• curious
• mundenhof
• freiburg
• sayuri
• manor
• cuddly
• furry
• mammals

[sin3clair]

OMG a seashell lol ! soo cute

[nyatnagarl]

actually it's a Roman snail (when they eat them, the French call them escargots :) - these are common in the woods an on the trails around the animal park. Since this park is not enclosed against the surroundings, there are sometimes interesting encounters (such as hedgehogs or rabbits coming up to the enclosure) and occasionally something gets in - if it's a small animal the meerkats may catch and eat it. besides snails they've managed to get frogs and a starling

[Stargirl016]

How cute.

[ChocolatesABC]

a seashell, lol. you've got to be kidding.

[MissYavanna]

What a cute animals! I love them, they are very sweet.