We are so excited to announce the birth of three adorable meerkat pups. Born to first-time parents Cardi B and Biggie, who joined the park’s meerkat family in April 2022, the pups are the first to be born in the park in 5 years. The tiny newcomers are currently about the size of chicks, and equally as fluffy and round looking!
In honour of their parent’s rapper names, our Pets Farm team have decided to continue this theme. The three pups have been suitably named Busta, Missy and Emmie (short for Eminem).
Meerkats, known for their strong social bonds, have a unique journey into the world. The blind, deaf, nearly bald pups are born underground, safe from predators, after a 2.5-month pregnancy. For their first ten days, their eyes and ears remain closed, but soon they open to explore their surroundings.
The pups spend their early weeks nestled in the burrow, under their parents’ care. As they reach three weeks, they begin to venture outside. Between four and six weeks old, they start trying solid foods. They are fully weaned between six and nine weeks By sixteen weeks, they’re independent and self-sufficient.
Pets Farm Team Leader Carolyn Booth told us more, ‘Our pups emerged from their den on the 11th of August, so we estimate that they are now about a month old. We had been hearing some little squeaks from the burrow in the weeks prior, so we were hopeful that some pups were on the way. As the pups begin to explore their surroundings, we can see that they are growing more confident by the day.
Keep an eye on our social media channels for further ‘pupdates’ – we promise to post lots of adorable progress pictures in the coming weeks!
