small carnivores library

Are meerkats immune to poison?

Mealtime in the Kalahari Desert isn't exactly an all-you-can-eat buffet. Meerkats eat what they can get -- even poisonous scorpions. Why doesn't the venom hurt them?

Are meerkats naturally generous?

When it comes to lending a helping paw, meerkats are quite altruistic. Strangely, they evolved from the mongoose -- a real loner. What gives?

How do meerkat groups choose a dominant female?

She's a vicious social climber, willing to do anything to get to the top. In her quest to be queen, she's snubbed girls and stolen their men. Oh, yes -- and she's a meerkat.

How do meerkats communicate?

From sonnets to Skype, humans have been perfecting communication for centuries. Meerkats have their own ways of pointing out danger, food and even happiness.

How Meerkats Work

You're probably familiar with celebrity meerkats like the Whiskers clan and Timon. But do you know anything else about this creature from the Kalahari?

Quiz Corner: Meerkat Quiz

Why do meerkat pups play?

Young meerkat pups pass their days in the Kalahari Desert by playing. But it's not all fun and games: Playtime makes them vulnerable to predators. So why persist?

Badger

Badger, a rather short, thickset, fur-bearing mammal. Badgers have extremely powerful forelegs with long claws, which they use to dig their burrows.

Ermine

Ermine, any weasel whose fur turns white in winter. The term usually refers to the short-tailed weasel, or stoat (Mustela erminea), of Eurasia and North America.

Ferret

Ferret, a carnivorous mammal related to the weasel. The domestic ferret, when mature, is about 19 inches (48 cm) long, including a 5-inch (13-cm) tail.

Raccoon

Raccoon, a small, furred animal found in the Western Hemisphere from southern Canada to Paraguay.

Skunk

Skunk, a mammal found only in the Americas and noted for its offensive odor. Skunks are black or blackish with various types of white markings and have long, bushy tails.

Wolverine

Wolverine, a meat-eating animal of the Northern Hemisphere. The name is probably derived from "wolf," although wolverines and wolves are not related.