South africa, Cape Town, Meerkats, Suricates, Klein Karoo, nature Conservation projects

Study wild meerkat behaviour in the Klein Karoo

2 hour Meerkat tour: ZAR 450,- p.p.

Only one hour from Knysna, and not far from Cape Town, Oudtshoorn is the sedate capital of the Little Karoo. Lying on the historic Route 62, the town is well worth a visit for the world-famous Cango Caves alone, not to mention the country’s finest ostrich farms. But Oudtshoorn is also the site of another surprising treat: the Wild Meerkat Project!

Featured on National Geographic, BBC, and Discovery Channel, the Wild Meerkat Project is run by Grant, an active nature conservationist with a passion for these industrious little mammals.

The tour starts just before sunrise, when the meerkats leave their burrows to warm up in the sun. World meerkat expert Grant will arrange an ideal spot for you to observe them sunbathing, while he expounds on the intricacies of their behaviour and communication. But be warned: these plucky creatures have a disconcerting habit of observing you right back!

Often to be seen lining up in their idiosyncratic drill-sergeant’s pose, meerkats are nothing if not vigilant. One of the most intriguing features of the species is their ‘sentry duty’ system. Adults take it in turns to stand watch, and let out a warning bark to alert their comrades to attacks from the sky and from the ground. If a snake threatens the colony, the adults will huddle together to drive the predator away en masse.

Also called ‘suricates,’ meerkats usually live in the burrows of ground squirrels, which they enlarge to a more suitable size. Here they raise their young as a community.

Allowed to remain completely wild, the meerkats of Oudtshoorn make for fascinating viewing. These quick-witted and stout-hearted little mongooses will win you over in a heartbeat… or they will have by the time Grant has finished with you!

An optional extra is a tranquil night on an eco ostrich farm on the banks of the Olifants River. Aside from roaming springbuck and other wildlife, you will be able to spot several of the 152 bird species that have been recorded in the region.

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