It's better than watching them on TV: Group gets up close and personal with playful meerkats

Are you looking at me? The Meerkat Magic tour group observe the meerkats near Oudtshoorn, in the Klein Karoo


Uncharacteristically confident, these meerkats boldly criss-cross through sandy plains almost oblivious to a group of onlookers.

Known as the only wild community known to exist outside the Kalahari desert, the playful clan are situated in the near Oudtshoorn, in the Klein Karoo on South Africa's Western Cape.

But for the past four years, they have been joined by nature conservationist Grant M. McIlrath studying and observing this extraordinary group.


Showing off: The meerkats - the only wild clan known to exist outside the Kalahari desert - perform for the crowd


Known as the ‘Meerkat Man’, Grant has been studying the creatures’ behaviour and interaction for 15 years.

And his unique conservation project, Meerkat Magic, study the troupe, who migrate in constant search of food.

Grant runs observational tours of clan who weave in and out of a series of underground tunnels spread over a five-kilometre-square area.


Meerkat Man: Grant M Mc Ilrath studying and observing this extraordinary group for the past four years


Watchful: The young meerkats playfight while the adult looks on


‘Our policy is to never interfere with or disturb. The trick is not move up unless you are stared at, to test their innocence,’ he said.

‘I have managed to gain their trust by using mannequins, and now, despite being wild, they appear to have accepted a human presence.

‘The juveniles are being prepared by all adults, not just the parents, active in the hard life in the arid Karoo.


Inquisitive: The meerkats watch the group, who, in turn, are studying the clan


Two meerkats laze on the sandy plain at the conservation project site located near Oudtshoorn


‘In intensive communication and they learn all the tricks that need a little earth for the perilous life.

‘Through gentle chirping sounds of the meerkats keep contact with each other.’

The expert called meerkats ‘good teachers’ to their young, adding: ‘Our research continues bring interesting results.’


source: dailymail