Meerkat (27/34)

Meerkat (27/34)

Meerkat - How They Sleep, Dream and Cuddle

One meerkat after the other slips from the den. They stand on their hind legs and squint into the sun. Each one in turn takes a stand, searching the horizon and the sky for possible enemies. The air is clear: on a signal the youngsters scrabble out of the den. In high spirits, they frolic and tumble around. This (or a variation on it) is pretty much how every day starts for meerkat families. But what happens when the day draws to a close, when they all disappear back into their den? What happens at night? Do they all lie close pressed together or on their own in the burrow? How do meerkats dream, do they cuddle too and exchange hugs and kisses? Together with researchers at the University of Zurich, a BR team is the first to look into these questions.