Jump to content

List of Meerkat Manor meerkats

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 68.106.255.1 (talk) at 03:26, 28 August 2010 (→Commandoes). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

The Whiskers, the stars of Meerkat Manor. Flower, the dominant female for the first three series is the meerkat wearing a tracking collar around her neck.

The British documentary television programme Meerkat Manor (September 2005 – August 2008), produced by Oxford Scientific Films for Animal Planet International, documented the antics of various meerkats being studied by the Kalahari Meerkat Project. The meerkats live in matriarchal groups led by a dominant couple, who have exclusive mating and breeding rights. The remainder of the group is usually the offspring and relatives of the dominant couple.

In the first three series of the four series programme, five major groups of meerkats were regularly shown, however its primary focus was on a group called the Whiskers, one of the largest and oldest of the research groups. Other groups featured were neighbouring rival groups of the Whiskers and groups formed by former Whiskers members. During the first series, a group called the Lazuli were depicted as the Whiskers’ main rivals, with occasional appearances by the smaller Gattaca group. In the second series, the Commandoes were introduced as one of the toughest rivals the Whiskers had ever faced, and by the third, the Commandoes had forced the Whiskers to move. The Whiskers then acquired two new neighbouring groups, the Zappa, with whom they had frequent confrontations, and the short-lived Starsky group formed by a trio of evicted Whiskers females. In the fourth and final series, one of the Whisker's females formed a new group, the Aztecs.

The meerkat families and individuals are listed in order of appearance with the official names and spellings from the original broadcast of the programme used for their primary identification. Differences in the American or Australian broadcasts are noted as necessary, and the information reflects the state of meerkats at the series end. Meerkats which only appeared in one or two episodes, are unnamed, or otherwise have no significance in the overall programme are not included.

Whiskers

Dominant female: Rocket Dog[1]
Dominant male: Mitch[2]

The Whiskers, the "stars" of Meerkat Manor, formed in 1998 and are one of the oldest meerkat groups among the Kalahari Meerkat Project. Having swelled to fifty members at one point, they are considered one of the area's most successful meerkat groups.[3] Researchers selected the Whiskers as the show's primary group because they were well-established, with the individual meerkats and their personalities well-known among the researchers to help the film crew with easier identification.[4] The Whiskers have been a part of the show since the first episode, at which point they controlled a 3 square miles (7.8 km2) territory that contained over fifty burrows and bolt holes.[3][5] During the series, the Whiskers experienced multiple "burrow moves" during which the entire family would shift from using one burrow to another, with adults carrying any pups too young to safely make the journey to the new burrow. Flower, their leader, assumed the role of dominant female of the group in 2002. Between the second and third series, the Whiskers lost their territory to their rivals, the Commandoes, and were forced to move to a new location.[6] Throughout the third series, they managed to increase the size of their new land by taking over territory from their smaller neighbours the Zappa.[7] Despite losing several adults and pups to death throughout the first three series, the Whiskers grew from having twenty-nine members in the first episode to forty in the last episode of series three.[5][8] Towards the end of the third series, Flower died, making her daughter Rocket Dog the group's dominant female. In the fourth series, Zaphod leaves the Whiskers,[1] eventually becoming dominant male of the Aztecs[9] and Mitch becomes the Whiskers dominant male.[2]

In addition to Meerkat Manor, the Whiskers are the focus of the 2007 book by Professor Tim Clutton-Brock entitled Meerkat Manor: The Story of Flower of the Kalahari, and of the 2008 film Meerkat Manor: The Story Begins.[10][11] Both media including extensive information and coverage of the Whiskers' lives before Meerkat Manor started, including showing Flower's early life and her rise to leader.[11]

Flower

Born 15 March 2000, Flower became the fearless and formidable leader of the Whiskers in 2002.[12][13][14] During the course of the series, Flower gave birth to numerous litters of pups, and is believed to have delivered 70 pups over the course of her lifetime.[13] As the dominant female, Flower had the right to kill any pups born to other females in the group, but she did not exercise that right when her daughters, Tosca and Mozart, had pups at the same time early in the first series.[15] Seven weeks after the pups were born, however, she evicted both daughters and forced them to leave their pups behind.[16][17] Flower allowed Mozart back into the group, but evicted her permanently after two more temporary evictions during the first and second series.[18] Twice, Flower initiated burrow moves that would force a female who had given birth to choose between their new pups or their family. Flower's daughter, Daisy, left her pups to die and rejoined her family, while Mozart accepted eviction and being alone to stay with her pups.[19][20]

Though Flower was known for ruling with an "iron paw",[12] she was a devoted mother, affectionate with her family, and gentle with pups including her daughters'.[12][15] When her young pups were lost in Zappa territory early in the third series, Flower risked a war with their neighbours to find them.[7] Flower also accepted Axel, an abandoned pup from the rival Zappa group, into the Whiskers clan, where the usual response would have been to kill the young intruder.[21] Flower's five-year reign ended late in the third series when she died after being bitten in the face by a Cape Cobra while protecting a litter of newborn pups.[21]

Flower's death caused a backlash against the Meerkat Manor producers, with fans wondering why the film crew and researchers did not attempt to save the meerkat.[4][22] The producers and researchers argued that doing so would violate the agreement under which Meerkat Manor was filmed, and that the primary purpose of the Kalahari Meerkat Project is to study "...the breeding success and survival of individuals and ... the factors that effect [sic] reproduction and survival."[4] As such, interfering in the natural processes would render the research results invalid; the purpose of the show is to truly present a realistic view into the meerkats lives including their deaths.[4] After the announcement of Flower's death, the news wire service United Press International released an obituary-like news story, while fans eulogised the late meerkat in letters, poems, memorial videos on YouTube, and numerous postings to fan sites and fan web forums.[22] The US Animal Planet web site added a memorial section to their Meerkat Manor site, offering visitors a copy of Flower's obituary, a video tribute, information about the film, and access to a discussion board and a live chat with the US producer of the series.[23] Animal Planet aired a film biography of Flower's early life on 25 May 2008 entitled Meerkat Manor: The Story Begins. The film, using footage of untamed meerkats and the research notes of Cambridge University, retells the story of how Flower became the dominant female of the Whiskers after the deaths of her mother and sister.[14][24]

Yossarian

Zaphod's younger brother, Yossarian is named after the main character in Catch-22 and has a scar across his left eye, possibly from when he was dropped on his head by a bird of prey as a pup. In the third episode of the series, the narrator states that Yossarian was once Flower's mate and the dominant male of the Whiskers, but Zaphod dethroned him before the series started.[15] The Meerkat Manor: The Story Begins film states that Yossarian and Zaphod were once roving Lazuli males. Yossarian became the dominant male of the Whiskers when Flower's sister was the dominant female, and then left the group when Flower assumed the role.[14] Noted as having "some social problems"[15] and being a trouble-maker, Yossarian initiated two burrow moves while babysitting twice in the first series, but both were badly handled.[15] The first attempt resulted in a lot of confusion amongst the babysitters, resulting in the eight newborn pups Yossarian dragged out of the burrow being partially trampled and almost left to die in the desert sun.[15] One of the other babysitters was able to restore order and get the pups to the burrow. A few days later he tried again. This time the babysitters joined him, but as they carried the newborn pups to a new burrow, they passed the main group and Flower and Zaphod ran after them. To avoid Flower's wrath, Yossarian dropped the pup of Mozart that he was carrying and slunk off. The pup died as a result and the rest of the Whiskers temporarily ostracised Yossarian for the havoc wrought by these moves.[25] Yossarian's attempt to help Daisy by carrying her newborn pups to the Whiskers burrow separated him from the family.[19] He also rescued one of Flower's pups in the second series after the young pup had wandered too far from the safety of the burrow.[26]

During the second series, Yossarian began a more concerted effort at finding a mate of his own, and possibly taking over leadership in another group. He made three unsuccessful attempts to reach Cazanna, the dominant female of the Lazuli, after the death of her mate Big Si.[27][28][29] Nevertheless, he was able to successfully mate with evicted Lazuli female Pancake.[27] Late in the second series, Yossarian left the Whiskers to become a full-time roving male.[30] He has not appeared in the series since.

Shakespeare

Shakespeare, named after the famous playwright, was one of Flower's sons.[4] Billed as "courageous" in the opening sequence of series one, he was bitten in the lower jaw and in the thigh by a puff adder in the first episode.[5] He recovered, however, and continued to be a strong contributor to the Whiskers group.[4] Near the end of series one, he was the lone babysitter protecting Flower's most recent pups when the Lazuli group found the burrow, and Shakespeare put himself between the pups and Big Si, the Lazuli's dominant male at the time.[31] When the Whiskers returned and dispatched the Lazuli, the pups were alive but Shakespeare could not be found.[32]

At the start of series two, Shakespeare was still missing and believed dead.[27] Thomas Flower of the Kalahari Meerkat Project explained the lack of certainty by noting that "...meerkats are often killed defending pups, Shakespeare was a babysitter the day before and Lazuli were in the area. However it is equally possible that he was killed by a predator, dispersed to another group, or was killed by another group whilst trying to join them, we just weren't there on that particular day."[33] More recent articles discussing Flower's death refer to Shakespeare's death and reiterate that his body has never been found.[34]

Tosca

Tosca was one of Flower's oldest daughters, described as "rebellious" in the first series opening sequence.[5] Her research name, given to her by the Kalahari Meerkat Project researchers, is actually Baddiel.[4] In the first episode, Tosca showed signs of pregnancy.[5] When the pups were born two episodes later, Flower declined to exercise her right to kill them and allowed them to be accepted into the family.[35] Three episodes later, while the pups were only seven weeks old, Flower evicted Tosca from the Whiskers, forcing the new mother to leave her pups behind.[17] When the Whiskers were temporarily split into two groups in the next episode, Tosca found the splinter group and took over leadership from her sister Daisy. Believing the split would be permanent, Tosca was then fitted with a radio collar by the project researchers.[36] However, the two groups reunited, and after Flower resumed her role as dominate female of the group, she permanently and viciously evicted Tosca.[37]

Tosca's attempts to rejoin the Whiskers after the separation from her mother were fiercely rebuffed.[38] Tosca mated with roving male Carlos in the last episode of the first series, but he left her alone and made no motions to work on starting a new group with her.[32] When the show returned for the second series, Tosca was missing. She is believed to have died during the harsh winter.[27]

Daisy

Daisy is another of Flower's daughters and the first to be impregnated by roving Lazuli male Carlos.[35] When the Whiskers were temporarily split into two groups after a goshawk attack in the middle of the series, Daisy assumed the role of dominant female of the splinter group, but lost the role when her evicted sister Tosca found the group and took control.[36][37] When the splinter group rejoined the main Whiskers, Flower discovered Daisy's pregnancy but allowed her to remain in the group.[37] Daisy gave birth in an empty burrow, and after Yossarian found her, he helped to carry her newborn pups to the real burrow. The next day, Flower initiated a burrow move. In order to remain with her family, Daisy left the pups behind to die in the abandoned burrow.[19]

In a very rare event in meerkat society, Daisy was evicted from the Whiskers by her sister Mozart late in the second series. After Flower reasserted her dominance over the group, Flower allowed Daisy to return and permanently evicted Mozart.[26] Daisy was the babysitter on duty during both a Commandoes attack on the burrow at the end of the second series, and a Zappa attack early in the third. In both cases, she was able to successfully protect the pups until the remaining Whiskers could return to help.[20][39] Daisy was impregnated by a roving Zappa male early in the third series, but new dominant female Rocket Dog did not evict her.[40] Daisy successfully gave birth to the litter in the last episode of the series.[8]

Mitch

When the series first started, three-week old Mitch was taken from the burrow by his teenage siblings as a game, and then abandoned in the desert. His brother Shakespeare found him and safely returned him to the family.[5] Later, he almost died after stealing a poisonous insect from one of the adults and eating it.[17] As he grew into adulthood over the second and third series, Mitch was given the "hero" label once applied to the late Shakespeare. When Mitch was lost in Zappa territory with Sophie, Jogu, and three of Flower's pups early in the third series, he attempted to find the Whiskers group on his own so he could lead them back to the pups.[7]

In the middle of the third series, he tried to help Flower's two pups, Ren and Stumpy, who were being neglected by the temporary Splinters group being led by Rocket Dog.[41] However, Ren was killed by a bird-of-prey, and Mitch was eventually forced to abandon Stumpy and rejoin the family.[40] Late in the series, Mitch found Axel, a pup abandoned during a failed raid attempt by the Zappa, and took him back to the Whiskers where – in an unexpected event within meerkat society – he was adopted into the family.[21] In the fourth season, Mitch continues playing an active role in the Whiskers, assuming the symbolic role of dominant male after the departure of Zaphod and a group of Mitch's older brothers.[2]

Rocket Dog

Rocket Dog is one of Flower's many daughters and would later became the dominant female of the Whiskers group.[21] When the Whiskers group temporarily split into two groups during a drought and food shortage in the third series, Rocket Dog assumed the leadership of the splinter group.[40] She mated with a roving Zappa male in the middle of the third series,[40] but her pups died in a premature birth caused by the strain of her new-found leadership.[42] When the splinter group was reunited with the Whiskers, Rocket Dog returned to being a subordinate female under her mother without any fuss.[42] After Flower's death near the end of the series, Rocket Dog permanently assumed leadership of the entire Whiskers group, and moved the group to a new burrow.[43] Wilson, a roving male from the Commandoes, attempted to mate with Rocket Dog, but was chased off by Zaphod, Flower's former partner and still dominant male.[44] In the last episode of the third series, Maybelline rebelled against her sister's rule, but Rocket Dog was able to maintain leadership, causing Maybelline to leave the Whiskers and start her own group.[8] After filming of the fourth series concluded, and before it aired, several newspapers reported that Rocket Dog was killed while crossing a road on 28 April 2008 and that Animal Planet planned to include a tribute to her at the end of the series.[45][46] A note was also posted to the Friends of the Kalahari Meerkat website; it was subsequently removed along with all other post season updates, at the request of Animal Planet, but was restored after the fourth series finished airing.[47]

Axel

Born in the third series, male pup Axel was abandoned by the Zappa during one of their unsuccessful attacks on the Whiskers burrow. Mitch found the pup and rather than kill the pup as one would normally expect, the Whiskers adopted him into the family.[21] As he adjusted to his new family, Axel tended to follow Mitch around. Although the narration refers to Axel as a Zappa pup, the research number he was assigned by the Kalahari Meerkat Project indicates that he is actually from the research group the Young Ones, which is often used to film Zappa footage.[48] He is named after the fictional character Axel Foley of the Beverly Hills Cop film series.[49]

Lazuli

Dominant female: Cazanna[50]
Dominant male: JD[27]

Formed in 1995, the Lazuli group is three years older than the Whiskers, with whom they regularly battle for territory. Before appearing on Meerkat Manor, the Lazuli were the focus of a thirty-minute 2001 National Geographic special television title Walking with Meerkats: Meerkat Madness.[3] This programme, produced by Big Wave TV, documented the daily life of the Lazuli under the leadership of the group's first dominant couple, Bulgarian and Zyzyphus.[51] Led by dominant male Big Si, the Lazulis had their first Meerkat Manor appearance in the second episode, where they lost their first fight with the Whiskers. This appearance also set a trend of Lazuli males seeking out Whiskers females, with the roving male Carlos being the first, and most frequent, visitor.[35] In the middle of the first series, the Whiskers took over part of the Lazuli territory and later invaded a Lazuli burrow, nearly killing the Lazuli's pups.[16][38]

In the second series, the death of Big Si made the Lazuli less of a threat to the Whiskers. The Lazuli males continued their roving ways, with males from the group regularly visiting Whiskers females. Some of the Whiskers males followed suit and attempted to mate with Cazanna and take Big Si's place.[27][28][29] The Lazuli faced new competition with the arrival of the Commandoes, who introduced themselves by invading a Lazuli burrow, killing a pup, and wounding the babysitter.[50] In the third series, the Lazuli are barely seen or mentioned, except for the occasional visit to the Whiskers burrow by a roving male from the group. Between the filming of the third and fourth series the dominant female Cazanna died of disease, leaving the group under the leadership of one of her daughters. As Cazanna's son JD was already the dominant male, it leaves the group with a dominant couple that can not mate with one another.[3]

In the fourth series, the Lazuli reappear in the ninth episode, driving the Aztecs from their burrow. The Aztecs return later in the episode and defeat the Lazuli to reclaim their home.[52] The Lazuli are the only one other group, besides the Whiskers, to appear in the Meerkat Manor: The Story Begins television film.[53]

Cazanna

At the time the Lazuli first appeared in Meerkat Manor, Cazanna was the dominant female of the group. After the death of her partner Big Si between the first and second series, her son JD took over as dominant male. Without a dominant male she could mate with, Yossarian and various other roving males from the Whiskers made valiant attempts to mate with her, but none were successful, due to the diligent protection of her son and the other Lazuli males.[27][28] Cazanna evicted her daughter Pancake, who was pregnant by Yossarian, but Cazanna allowed her to rejoin the family.[50] After filming for series three concluded, Cazanna died from disease and her daughter assumed the leadership of the group.[3]

Big Si

First introduced as "the biggest, meanest meerkat in the territory", Big Si was the dominant male of the Lazuli who regularly led the various war parties against the Whiskers.[36] At the end of the first series, Big Si led the attack against a Whiskers burrow where Shakespeare was the sole babysitter on duty. Though the Lazuli were forced to flee before they could kill the pups, the series producers and the project researchers believe Big Si killed Shakespeare during this attack, as Shakespeare was last seen putting himself between Big Si and the pups to protect them.[31][32] Between the first and second series, Big Si contracted tuberculosis.[27] While the researchers and camera crew normally do not interfere with the lives, or deaths, of the meerkats, they had to euthanise Big Si in order to prevent an outbreak that would have been devastating to both the meerkat populations and the local livestock.[13]

Commandoes

Dominant female: Nikita[1]
Dominant male: None[54]

Early in the second series of Meerkat Manor, a new group named the Commandoes infiltrated one of the Lazuli burrows and killed a pup.[50] Led by the tough dominant pair Nikita and Hannibal, this twenty-four member-strong gang quickly became one of the Whiskers most dangerous rivals. Their size enabled them to stand up to the Whiskers where smaller rivals, such as the Lazuli, could not. Between the second and third series, the Commandoes defeated the Whiskers in a fight and took over the Whiskers former territory.[6][55]

Though the Commandoes group had lost some of their adults through disease by the start of the third series, they remained formidable opponents.[3] With their shift in territories, the Whiskers' only major altercation with the Commandoes came when a drought sent the Whiskers back to their old territory in desperation for water. The Whiskers were chased off, and the Commandoes held on to their new territory.[42] On the other hand, their border neighbours of smaller sizes, the Zappa and Starsky groups, are easy targets for the Commandoes. When the Starsky sisters risked entering their territory in search of food and mates, the Commandoes attacked the trio and possibly killed De la Soul, who has not been seen again after the other two escaped.[44] At the start of the fourth series, the Commandoes successfully claim Whiskers territory and force the Whiskers to become a nomadic group.[1] However, the Commandoes has no dominant male, with only a few males in the group at all. In the fifth episode, Zorro, a roving Whiskers male, and his brothers successfully take over the group, and Zorro claims Nikita as his mate. In an unexpected turn of events, Nikita does not fight the take over attempt, and accepts Zorro as her new mate.[56] Zorro establishes and maintains a strong leadership, fighting off his own brothers in the process and initiating the only known male exile in the manor.[57] At the end of the fourth series, Zorro dies, and his brothers Miles and Baker are engaged in a vicious battle to take over the role of dominant male.[54]

Though there is a research group named the Commandos, the Commandoes group depicted in Meerkat Manor features the dominant couple and story of the Vivian research group, with only mob scenes of the Commandoes using footage of the real Commandos group.[58] Well, that was until Season 4, when the real Commandos started playing themselves. In the US broadcast of the series, the Commandoes' name is changed to the American spelling of Commandos, which is also the spelling used for the real Commandos group.[58][59]

Nikita

The dominant female of the Commandoes, Nikita is as tough as her partner, and can be just as vicious.[59] During the raid on the Lazuli burrow, Nikita aided in the killing of a Lazuli pup.[50] She led the group in the killing of Mozart's newborn pups in the last episode of the second series, after Mozart had been permanently evicted from the Whiskers.[20] During her first pregnancy in the fourth series, Nikita evicts eight of the ten females from the Commandoes group, most of whom were her own daughters.[2]

At the start of the fourth series, Nikita is shown without a mate after the death of Hannibal.[1] Nikita is impregnated by Seacrest, a Whiskers roving male, in the third episode of the fourth series.[60] In the fifth, she accepts Whiskers rover Zorro as the groups dominant male, and allows his four brothers to join the group.[61]

Hannibal

The one-eyed Hannibal is a "just plain mean bully no one wants to see,"[6] and rivals Zaphod as one of the largest meerkats in the Kalahari.[6][59] As dominant male of the Commandoes, Hannibal is a force to be reckoned with, showing no hesitation in confronting rival groups of meerkats.[59] In addition to leading multiple attacks against the Whiskers, Lazuli, and Zappa, Hannibal is responsible for giving Carlos a face wound that would eventually kill him.[30] In the first episode of series four, the narrator notes that Hannibal died in his sleep during the winter.[1]

Wilson

Wilson, a son of Hannibal and Nikita, is a roving male who attempts to mate with females from various other Meerkat Manor groups throughout the third and fourth series. He visited the Zappa burrows without success, and later tried to mate with new Whiskers dominant female Rocket Dog before Zaphod chased him off.[62][63] Towards the end of the series, Wilson met Mozart, the last surviving member of the Starsky group. When an approaching brush fire separated them, he went back to her burrow in the morning only to find her dead from a predator attack.[44]

Zorro

Zorro is a young Whiskers male who in the first episode of the fourth series left his group, along with four of his brothers and Zaphod, to rove.[1] They initially join the Aztecs with Zaphod, but eventually left again to continue roving.[9] In the fifth episode of the series, they encounter the Commandoes. Nikita and her nearly all female group initially rebuff the group, but after an eagle owl causes a group panic, Zorro and his brothers are able to use the distraction to initiate a takeover bid. Nikita accepts Zorro's scent marking her and he becomes the Commandoes' new dominant male.[56] Later in the series, when one of Zorro's brothers, Miles, continues attempting to get close to Nikita, Zorro viciously attacks him and exiles him. This is the first known male exile in the manor. To acknowledge Zorro's leadership, he is fitted with a radio collar.[57] Three episodes later, Zorro's collar is found in a tree, and he is believed to be dead, presumed killed by a bird of prey.[54]

Zappa

Dominant female: Punk[64]
Dominant male: Houdini[64]

Named after musician Frank Zappa, the Zappa group formed in 2001, but did not appear in Meerkat Manor until the third series when the Whiskers became their new neighbours.[3][4][6] Billed in the opening credits as "the neighbours from hell", the fourteen-members-strong Zappa have multiple run-ins with the Whiskers throughout the series.[59] Led by dominant pair Lola and Frank, the Zappa have a quick fight with the Whiskers in the first episode of the third series, but are forced to flee from the much larger group.[6] When the Whiskers invaded the Zappa territory in search of Flower's missing pups, they ended up confiscating a Zappa burrow, claiming the part of the land as their territory.[7] The Zappa repeatedly tried to retake the stolen burrow, but all attempts ended in failure.[21][39] In the middle of the series, while Lola was recovering from an injury, her sister Punk took over as dominant female. The same day, Frank was disposed by Houdini and forced out of the group.[64] Punk proved to be a greater risk taker than Lola, and again led the Zappa in a futile attack against the Whiskers.[21][59] After Flower's death, the Zappa tried to commandeer a burrow that the Whiskers had just moved in, but the Zappa were again defeated and chased off.[43]

While there is a group named the "Zappa" within the Kalahari Meerkat Project, the Zappa shown in Meerkat Manor are primarily filmed using footage from a second research group called the Young Ones.[58] However, scenes of the dominant couple are from the real Zappa group, as are the stories told about the group as a whole.[3]

Lola

Lola, the dominant female of the Zappa at the beginning of the third series, regularly commandeered food from her subordinates.[59][64] Lola disappeared from the group for two days after being bitten by a puff adder. After she struggled to make her way home, her younger sister Punk took advantage of her weakened state and took over as dominant female.[64] Though Lola recovered from the snake bite, she continued to accept Punk as the new leader. When the Zappa later ran from a confrontation with the Whiskers, Lola left behind a pup she was carrying, Axel, who was adopted by the Whiskers.[21] Zaphod once visited the Zappa burrow and almost mated with Lola, but was chased off by Houdini.[62] Lola was instrumental in defending Punk's newborn pups during an attack by the newly formed Aztec group.[8]

In the sixth episode of the third series, Meerkat Manor indicates that Lola has been the leader of the Zappa for three years. However, the Kalahari Meerkat Project records show that she was born in March 2005. This would make the narration inaccurate, as the third season was filmed between November 2006 through April 2007.[13][48]

Frank

Like the Zappa group, Frank was named after Frank Zappa.[4] Frank, an older male, was a formidable leader who showed no fear of leading his much smaller group against the Whiskers massive mob.[39][59] After Punk took over the group, Houdini returned from a roving trip and challenged Frank for dominance in a vicious fight. Unable to defeat the younger meerkat, Frank was deposed and forced into exile.[64] He has not been seen in the series since.

Punk

Punk is Lola's littermate, and the current dominant female of the group as of the end of the third series.[48] More aggressive than her sister, Punk grew increasingly rebellious under Lola's leadership. When Lola was weakened by a snake bite, Punk took over as dominant female. Later that day, when Houdini returned to the group and defeated dominant male Frank, Punk quickly accepted him as her new partner.[64]

During the third series, Punk regularly led the Zappa into grab-and-go foraging runs into the Whiskers territory, but the smaller size of the group forced them to flee from direct confrontations.[21] Towards the end of the series, a pregnant Punk started stealing food form her subordinates just as her sister once did.[62] The Zappa came under attack from the newly formed Aztec group in the last episode of the series, but were able to escape. Punk's pups were saved through the efforts of Lola.[8] After the fourth series aired in the United States, the Friends of the Kalahari reported that Punk was killed by a Martial Eagle in August 2008.[65]

Houdini

Named after the magician, Houdini is Frank's younger brother. After Carlos settled down, Houdini took over the role of Kalahari Casanova and troublemaker. He managed to mate with Flower, the dominant female of the Whiskers, before her partner Zaphod noticed his presence and chased him off.[30] He also successfully mated with Maybelline, Flower's daughter, in the middle of the third series.[40] The moment he returned to the Zappa after his extended roving trip, Houdini attacked Frank and deposed him.[64] Taking over as dominant male of the group, Houdini began to protect the Zappa females from the efforts of the now mate-less Zaphod and from Commandoes rover Wilson.[62]

Starsky

The Starsky was a small group of seven meerkats that formed between the filming of the second and third series. The group first appeared in the second episode of the third series. Mozart and Kinkajou, two of three evicted Whiskers sisters in the group, competed for the position of dominant female, while Carlos, the former roving male from the Lazuli, was secure in his position as dominant male.[7] The group struggled to survive from the start. They were plagued with problems, such as Carlos having a fatal face injury, keeping litters alive, and their small territory having little food.[7][39][66] After Carlos died from an infection in his wound, the remaining meerkats began dying from starvation, disease, and predation. By the eleventh episode of the third series, only the three sisters, Kinkajou, Mozart, and De la Soul, remained. The last of the group, Mozart, was killed by a jackal in April 2007, bringing the short life of the Starsky group to an end.[44][66]

Mozart

A daughter of Flower, Mozart was originally a member of the Whiskers group. Referred to as "the caring" one in the first series credits, Mozart was always ready to lend a helping hand for the family.[5][59] When her littermate Shakespeare was bitten by a puff adder in the first episode, she stayed at his side and kept him company until he recovered.[35] Mozart was temporarily exiled from the Whiskers group several times for having pups. Her first eviction came part way through the first series and lasted only one episode.[16][17] Her second eviction in the next series was ended by her miscarrying.[18][55] Near the end of the second series, Mozart again became pregnant, and then made the unusual move of evicting her sister Daisy from the Whiskers.[26] Flower led the Whiskers to a new home and left Mozart alone at the burrows with her newborn pups, effectively evicting her.[67] The Commandoes killed Mozart's pups in the next episode while Mozart was on the search for food.[20]

When Mozart returned in the third series, she competed with her sister Kinkajou, also evicted from the Whiskers, for leadership of a new group, the Starsky, which she had founded with roving male Carlos.[7] Kinkajou eventually took over as dominant female, asserting her dominance by killing Mozart's newborn pups.[39] Carlos' death left the Starsky females without a mate or a potential for new pups, and the remaining members of the group died. Mozart at last lost her sisters in the eleventh episode. Shortly after, Mozart met a roving Commandoes male, Wilson, who seemed primed to help her revive the group, but Mozart was killed outside of her burrow by a jackal the next day.[44][66]

Mozart's death, having come less than a month after the death of her mother, was reported in national newspapers, including New York Times and The Denver Post. Saddened fans posted various tributes online, including poems, songs, and videos.[68][69]

Carlos

Carlos, whose research name was JD, made regular appearances in the series starting with the second episode.[35][66] A rather amorous fellow who was billed as the Kalahari's "Casanova",[32][59] he impregnated at least three Whiskers females during the first series including Daisy, Mozart, Tosca, and Kinkajou.[6][17][32][35][59] Despite his roving ways, the show producers referred to him as Mozart's "long-time love" due to their frequent matings.[59]

In the third series, Carlos put aside his roving ways and became the dominant male of the Starsky, with both Kinkajou and Mozart pregnant with his pups.[7] Carlos was bitten in the face during a fight with Commandoes dominant male, Hannibal. An infection set into the wound, eventually killing Carlos and leaving the Starsky without a dominant male.[30]

Kinkajou

Kinkajou was the younger half-sister of Mozart and appeared sporadically throughout the programme. In the first series, a teenage Kinkajou took her younger brother Mitch from the burrow and left him alone in the desert after she got bored with watching him.[5] She became a more reliable babysitter as she grew older, but followed in her mother Flower's footsteps with an unauthorised pregnancy in the second series.[70] As Kinkajou was evicted between the second and third series, it remains unanswered how she was reunited with her sisters Mozart and De la Soul.[6]

At the start of the third series, Kinkajou was pregnant by Carlos and determined to become the dominant female of the group. She started her quest for leadership by leading the group on their foraging trips and then initiating a burrow move. As a final assertion of dominance, she demonstrated her right to be the only female in the group with pups by killing Mozart's newborn pups.[39] She held her position as dominant female until the group, down to only the three sisters, had a disastrous run-in with the Commandoes near the end of the series. After fleeing for their lives, only Kinkajou and Mozart remained. They found a burrow for the night during a storm, but weakened from starvation, Kinkajou died in her sleep.[63][66]

Aztecs

Dominant female: Maybelline[1]
Dominant male: Zaphod[9]

The Aztecs are a small group of seven adult meerkats that was formed by Maybelline in the final episode of the third series when she broke away from the Whiskers.[8] In the fourth series, the group is shown to now be a regular rival of the Whiskers.[71] In the second episode, Zaphod and a band of roving males join the Aztecs, with Zaphod becoming the group's new dominant male.[9]

Maybelline

Rocket Dog's sister, Maybelline, is one of three Whiskers to be impregnated by roving Zappa males while they are part of a temporarily splinter group led by Rocket Dog.[40] Maybelline gave birth just before Flower's death, and as Flower had no litter of her own at the time, the Kalahari Meerkat Project believes it was Maybelline's newborn pups that Flower was protecting when she was killed by a snake.[21][48] When Rocket Dog initiated a burrow move, Maybelline at first refused to move her young pups but later gave in. When her pups were older, Maybelline rebelled against Rocket Dog's leadership. Unable to depose her sister, Maybelline left the Whiskers with her pups and a couple of adults at the end of the third series to form a new group, the Aztecs.[21]

Zaphod

Zaphod, named after Zaphod Beeblebrox from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, was Flower's devoted partner and the dominant male of the Whiskers.[4][5] As Zaphod assumed both roles by usurping, he tends to be edgy if Yossarian gets too close to Flower.[15][72] According to the Meerkat Manor: The Series Begins film, Zaphod was a roving Lazuli male before he joined the Whiskers. He and his younger brother, Yossarian, visited the Whiskers at the same time in search of females. Flower's sister Viale, then the dominant female, chooses Yossarian as her mate and he becomes the group's dominant male. Zaphod and Flower also mate, but Viale kills the resulting pups. After Viale's death, Flower assumes the role of dominant female and shows preference to Zaphod for her mate. Yossarian then left the group for an unknown length of time.[14]

Being one of the largest meerkats in the group earned him the description of a "bruiser", ready and willing to lead the charge against any Whiskers rivals, or rival males trying to get too close to any of the Whiskers females.[59] After Flower's death in the third series, Zaphod continued to perform the duties as the group's dominant male and would chase off any roving males trying to reach new dominant female Rocket Dog. As meerkats will not mate with first generation relatives, he eventually left the group and became a roving male.[62] He returned after two episodes and still acted as the group's dominant male as of the end of series three.[44] At the start of the fourth series, Zaphod is shown with his own radio collar. He leaves the Whiskers again to become a rover,[2] then takes over as dominant male of the Aztecs in the second episode of the series. As Maybelline is also one of his daughters, Zaphod is still without a mate.[9]

Minor groups

Gattaca

The Gattaca, named after the 1997 science fiction movie, was a minor group of approximately ten members that appeared briefly in the first series.[66] The small group first appeared in episode seven when the Whiskers accidentally crossed over into their territory. The meeting ended without incident as the Whiskers willingly returned to their own land.[36] Risca, a former dominant female of the Whiskers, led the Gattaca.[66] Acting as minor rivals of the Whiskers, the Gattaca received little story attention until they quietly disappeared from the show before the end of the series. In reality, the group died out from disease and predation.[66]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "To Have and Have Not". Meerkat Manor. Season 4. Episode 4.1. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help) Cite error: The named reference "Ep4.1" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d e "Great Expectations". Meerkat Manor. Season 4. Episode 4.6. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Current Groups". Friends of the Kalahari Meerkat Project. 20 November 2007. Retrieved 10 December 2007.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "KMP meerkats FAQ". Friends of the Kalahari Meerkat Project. 11 November 2007. Retrieved 21 December 2007.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i "A Family Affair". Meerkat Manor. Episode 1.1. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h "On Dangerous Ground". Meerkat Manor. Episode 3.1. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h "The Mission". Meerkat Manor. Episode 3.2. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ a b c d e f "A Family at War". Meerkat Manor. Episode 3.13. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ a b c d e "All Manor of Love". Meerkat Manor. Season 4. Episode 4.2. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ Clutton-Brock, Tim (2007). Meerkat Manor - The Story of Flower of the Kalahari. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 0-297-84484-9.
  11. ^ a b Thomson, Desson (29 July 2007). "March of the Cuddly-Wuddly Documentaries". The Washington Post. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  12. ^ a b c "Gone But Not Forgotten". Animal Planet. Retrieved 29 January 2008.
  13. ^ a b c d "Transcript from September 28's Live Chat with Mick Kaczorowski the senior executive producer of the US version of Meerkat Manor". Meerkat Manor Fan Site. Discovery Channel. Retrieved 10 December 2007.
  14. ^ a b c d Barker, Chris (Director), Slee, Mike (Director), Goldberg, Whoopi (Narrator), Hawkins, Caroline (Producer) (25 April 2008). Meerkat Manor: The Story Begins (Television production). Oxford Scientific Films. Retrieved 25 May 2008.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g "Some Like It Hot". Meerkat Manor. Episode 1.3. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ a b c "Childhood's End". Meerkat Manor. Episode 1.5. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ a b c d e "Boys Will Be Boys". Meerkat Manor. Episode 1.6. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ a b "There's No Place Like Home". Meerkat Manor. Episode 2.5. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ a b c "Daisy's Choice". Meerkat Manor. Episode 1.9. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ a b c d "The Killing Fields". Meerkat Manor. Episode 2.13. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Journey's End". Meerkat Manor. Episode 3.8. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ a b Bellafante, Ginia (11 October 2007). "'The Desert Has Lost Its Favorite Rose': Death Comes to the Whiskers Family". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 October 2007.
  23. ^ "In Memory of Flower". Animal Planet. Retrieved 29 January 2008.
  24. ^ Barker, Chris (Director), Slee, Mike (Director), Goldberg, Whoopi (Narrator), Hawkins, Caroline (Producer) (25 May 2008). Making of Meerkat Manor: The Story Begins (Television special). Animal Planet. {{cite AV media}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  25. ^ "Revolution". Meerkat Manor. Episode 1.4. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ a b c "Balance of Power". Meerkat Manor. Episode 2.10. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ a b c d e f g h "Cold Comfort". Meerkat Manor. Episode 2.1. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  28. ^ a b c "The Three Amigos". Meerkat Manor. Episode 2.2. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  29. ^ a b "The Enemy Within". Meerkat Manor. Episode 2.8. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ a b c d "The Death of Romance". Meerkat Manor. Episode 3.4. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  31. ^ a b "The Calm Before the Storm". Meerkat Manor. Episode 1.12. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  32. ^ a b c d e "Moving On". Meerkat Manor. Episode 1.13. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help) Cite error: The named reference "Ep1.13" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  33. ^ Denhart, Andy (1 November 2006). "Ask the Reality TV Expert: Alas, poor Shakespeare on Meerkat Manor". Retrieved 17 October 2007.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  34. ^ Finn, Natalie (28 September 2007). "Meerkats Mourning Lady of the Manor". E! News. [E!]. Retrieved 17 October 2007.
  35. ^ a b c d e f "Love Thy Neighbour". Meerkat Manor. Episode 1.2. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  36. ^ a b c d "Divided Loyalties". Meerkat Manor. Episode 7. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  37. ^ a b c "The Good, The Bad, And The Desperate". Meerkat Manor. Episode 1.8. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  38. ^ a b "Flower Power". Meerkat Manor. Episode 1.10. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  39. ^ a b c d e f "Something's Gotta Give". Meerkat Manor. Episode 3.3. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  40. ^ a b c d e f "Tale of Ren and Stumpy". Meerkat Manor. Episode 3.5. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help) Cite error: The named reference "Ep3.5" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  41. ^ Note: in the US broadcast, Ren and Stumpy's names are changed to Len and Squiggy, respectively.
  42. ^ a b c "Heavy the Crown". Meerkat Manor. Episode 3.7. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  43. ^ a b "A New Day". Meerkat Manor. Episode 3.9. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  44. ^ a b c d e f "The Graduate". Meerkat Manor. Episode 3.12. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  45. ^ de Moraes, Lisa (6 June 2008). "Death Knocks (Again) at 'Meerkat Manor'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 7 June 2008.
  46. ^ Buckman, Adam (7 June 2008). "Death in the Desert". New York Post. Retrieved 7 June 2008.
  47. ^ "Current Groups". Friends of the Kalahari Meerkat Project. 12 June 2008. Retrieved 22 August 2008.
  48. ^ a b c d "List of Meerkat names, ID codes and birth dates - Year 2007" (pdf). Kalahari Meerkat Project. Retrieved 18 January 2008.
  49. ^ "KMP meerkats name list as of March 2008" (PDF). Kalahari Meerkat Project. 2008. p. 5. Retrieved 26 July 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  50. ^ a b c d e "Young Blood". Meerkat Manor. Episode 2.3. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  51. ^ "productions". Big Wave. Retrieved 20 January 2008.
  52. ^ "To The Manor Born". Meerkat Manor. Season 4. Episode 4.9. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  53. ^ Scheib, Ronnie (19 May 2009). "Meerkat Manor: The Story Begins". Variety. Retrieved 20 May 2008.
  54. ^ a b c "The Darkest Day". Meerkat Manor. Season 4. Episode 4.13. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  55. ^ a b "United We Stand". Meerkat Manor. Episode 2.7. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  56. ^ a b "The Mark of Zorro". Meerkat Manor. Season 4. Episode 4.5. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  57. ^ a b "The Birds". Meerkat Manor. Season 4. Episode 4.10. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  58. ^ a b c "Friends of the Kalahari Meerkat Project: Friends packages". 14 October 2007. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
  59. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Meet the Meerkats" (Flash). Animal Planet. Retrieved 9 January 2008.
  60. ^ "Rising Star". Meerkat Manor. Season 4. Episode 4.3. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  61. ^ "The Family Way". Meerkat Manor. Season 4. Episode 4.4. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  62. ^ a b c d e "Farewell My Lovely". Meerkat Manor. Episode 3.10. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  63. ^ a b "Three Degrees of Separation". Meerkat Manor. Episode 3.11. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  64. ^ a b c d e f g h "The House of Zappa". Meerkat Manor. Episode 3.6. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  65. ^ "Current Groups". Friends of the Kalahari. 26 September 2008. Retrieved 14 December 2008.
  66. ^ a b c d e f g h "Lost Groups". Friends of the Kalahari Meerkat Project. Retrieved 10 January 2008.
  67. ^ "The Godmother". Meerkat Manor. Episode 2.12. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  68. ^ Joanne Ostrow (24 October 2007). "Death Stalks the Meerkats Yet Again". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 January 2008.
  69. ^ Edward Wyatt (28 October 2007). "Death Strikes 'Meerkat Manor' Again". The Denver Post. Retrieved 10 January 2008.
  70. ^ "Iron Lady". Meerkat Manor. Episode 2.4. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  71. ^ "About the Series". Animal Planet. Retrieved 26 May 2008.
  72. ^ Virginia Heffernan (29 September 2006). "Meerkat Manor- Television - Review". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 January 2008.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=List_of_Meerkat_Manor_meerkats&oldid=381432789"