Dartmoor Zoo’s ‘inseparable’ meerkat pair Ben and Geri become proud parents

Dartmoor Zoo has announced that their Slender-Tailed Meerkat couple, Ben and Geri have become parents to two tiny pups.

Travelling from Knockhatch Adventure Park and Woburn Safari Park, Ben and Geri, their breeding pair of Meerkats, arrived at Dartmoor Zoo on Saturday, February 8, where they were immediately introduced into their new habitat, Meerkat Manor.

Upon introduction the kats were quick to bond, with the zoo reporting that they have been inseparable ever since.

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Meerkat Manor was built with funding from Promoting Children in Plymouth (PCIP) by the pupils of Sir John Hunt School, and without this collaborative effort they would not be celebrating these two new arrivals.

Dartmoor Zoo’s CEO David Gibson commented: “We are thrilled to welcome our new arrivals. The successful birth of the two new Meerkats is the start of us building a new Meerkat mob here at Dartmoor Zoo. It would not have been possible without the support from PCIP who funded Meerkat Manor and the pupils of Sir John Hunt who helped us build this amazing habitat.”

The two new pups are becoming more confident as each day passes and can now be seen by guests exploring their new home. 

The zoo has asked visitors to keep noise to a minimum when visiting the meerkats, so they can continue to grow, explore and thrive.

Though Slender-Tailed Meerkats do not currently face any major population decline due to protected areas, such as Dartmoor Zoo, keeping their numbers stable, they can face natural threats such as predators or culling due to rabies.

Dartmoor Zoo’s Keeper Hannah Ivory commented: “Ben and Geri are proving themselves to be very good first-time parents as their wild instincts have taken hold and they are very much devoted to each other and are working cooperatively as a team to raise the pups.”