Meerkats Post Letters Fur Santa Claws!

Ten mischievous meerkats at Drusillas Park have mailed their wish lists off to the North Pole in the hope that Santa Claws will bring a sleigh-full of festive treats this Christmas. 

The slender tailed meerkats revelled with excitement as they received their very own wooden mailbox from keepers. 

The special delivery was given as part of the zoo’s daily programme to stimulate the animals. Meerkats are very curious creatures and enjoy exploring new and unfamiliar objects. They investigated the unusual offering with great enthusiasm, before posting their letters safely inside.

There’s no doubt a selection of novelty nibbles is likely to be the top request amongst the group this Christmas. Meerkats enjoy a varied diet of both plants and animals with cockroaches, snails and boiled eggs all receiving a first class response at the zoo. 

However in preference to a customary orange, the meerkats would rather have their own stockings stuffed with a generous helping of grapes this Noel. Monkey nuts are also a firm favourite that always receive a cracking reaction.

Christmas is a time for families and meerkats like nothing better than being together. They are incredibly sociable animals and live in large organised gangs of up to 30 individuals. Each meerkat has a specific role, with some looking after the young, while others forage or keep look out.

The group at Drusillas are part of the same family, with 11 year old Tabani at the helm. Hannibal is the baby of the group, born at the zoo on 16 September 2008. 

Paws crossed, Santa will receive the meerkats’ wish lists and a little taste of Christmas will be served up for the whole family at Drusillas on 25 December.