"Who has the remote?" Kendi and Rafiki get cozy
for the airing of Animal Planet's Meerkat Manor show.
Photo credit: D.A. Robertson

Greetings to meerkat aficionados around the world!

As the summer of 2006 draws to a close, we are delighted by the unprecedented outpouring of "Meerkat Love" that has occurred since the debut of Animal Planet's 13 part documentary series Meerkat Manor. We have received an avalanche of inquiries about our little Center due to our partnership with Animal Planet. Our spring newsletter informed our "extended mob" about the series and that our director, Pam Bennett-Wallberg, was chosen to be the spokesperson featured on the Animal Planet website.

Meerkat Manor, described as All My Children meets Wild Kingdom, is the captivating docu-drama series that follows the Whiskers mob in their day-to-day struggles and triumphs as a family of meerkats living in the vastness of southern Africa's Kalahari Desert. Filmed over the course of a year, the cameras recorded the meerkats' every move - from family feuds, secret love affairs, and wars with rival mobs, to backstabbing worthy of a Shakespearean tale. It is a compelling story that highlights the personalities of the Whiskers mob members - the brave, the loyal, and the mischievous ...

Pam is currently featured on Animal Planet's website narrating a series of mini-topics about meerkats. The website also includes a "family tree" of the Whiskers mob, meerkat quizzes, puzzles, and excellent information about the species we all know and love - Suricata suricatta. Check it out!

Pam's first trip to Africa was by invitation from Cambridge University's team of zoologists who were studying several habituated mobs in the Kalahari Desert. Pam was actually at the site where Meerkat Manor was filmed and interacted with some of the "starring" meerkats that are featured in the series.

Pam Bennett-Wallberg up close and personal with
members of the Whiskers Mob in the Kalahari Desert
Photo Credit: Roberta Stacy

The series has received unprecedented ratings for Animal Planet and we wanted you, our donors and adoptive parents, to know that Animal Planet is continuing the show! Happily, the intriguing saga of the Whiskers and Lazuli mobs did not end with the first season's final show. The second season begins September 29th! We assure you that the continuing drama of the Whiskers and Lazuli tops season one "paws down."

Here is a small sampling of the interviews and press Fellow Earthlings' has received since the documentary's premier:

• USA Today
• New York Times
• Washington Post
• Los Angeles Times
• Newsweek
• MSNBC
• Dallas Fort-Worth Star Telegram
• Los Angeles Magazine
• Associated Press
• Orange County Register
• And so many more . . .

CELEBRITY MEERKAT FANS

With the media's focus on meerkats, more people are discovering what all of us have known for years - meerkats are the most engaging, winsome, and watch-able creatures on the planet! We are pleased to announce two new adoptive parents whose names will be familiar to you.

Thanks to the Animal Planet series, Elizabeth Taylor and Whoopi Goldberg each adopted a meerkat. We received a touching personal note from Ms. Goldberg stating how happy she was that "her family was able to help care for a meerkat family." We look forward to introducing Ms. Taylor and Ms. Goldberg to all our endearing meerkat residents.

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VITTLES FOR THE CRITTERS

Important Update for all Ralph's Grocery Program Participants! As of September 1st, Ralph's is requiring all individual's to re-register in order to keep their cards active. We are so thankful to all of you wonderful supporters who are currently participants in the Ralph's Grocery Program which benefits the meerkats with every dollar you spend. We encourage you to take just a moment of your time and re-register so our little residents can continue to benefit - your grocery dollars translates to more scrumptious bugs for them - or, more aptly, Vittles for the Critters! Here are the simple instructions:

On your computer, go to www.ralphs.com
Click on "Community Contributions"
From there, click on "Participants"
Then just follow the simple instructions to re-register!

For those of you who have not registered for the program as of yet, you can also register as a first time participant at this site. The meerkats thank you!

New Enclosure Opens to Rave Reviews!

The last few months we've been putting the finishing touches on the first of two new enclosures. Contractor, Glenn Shepard, and tractor driver extraordinaire, Carl MacKaben, maneuvered big logs into place before we erected the last wall of the enclosure and got ready for moving day!

The last log is put into place.
Photo credit: D.A. Robertson

The enclosure is ready and awaits the new "home owners."
Photo credit: D.A. Robertson

After much anticipation, the expansive new enclosure was ready. Glen Shepard, and Volunteer Development Director & Animal Care Supervisor, Denise Robertson, and Director, Pam Bennett-Wallberg, were in attendance as the door was raised for Kendi and Rafiki to enter their brand new "digs".

With the curiosity and courage so typical of their species, the two tiny meerkats hit the ramp between the old and new enclosures without hesitation. With tails up, they happily bounded down the "kat walk." This was new territory and they were ready to explore!

"Here we come!"
Photo credit: D.A. Robertson

Leaping lightly to the ground, the two immediately began the "final walk-through" inspection of their new home. Every inch was sniffed, scratched, and carefully examined...

First moments in the new "digs".
Photo credit: D.A. Robertson

After the "paws up" of approval, the duo began the serious business of looking for grubs and trying out all the new furniture and fixtures, including a large den box, benches, rocks, and an "ever so perfect" log to hide under.

So much to explore!
Photo credit: D.A. Robertson

Rafiki ran the entire length of the enclosure with Kendi close behind. Then, the couple turned and, side by side, exhibited the typical "pronking" gait wild meerkats use when very excited. In the adjacent enclosure, Bara, Jengo and Nalo felt sure that these two pronking meerkats were on the "war path" and, thus, they began their own pronking war dance until they realized it was just their old neighbors, Kendi and Rafiki, establishing their new territory.

Glen, Denise, and Pam felt like proud but protective parents watching their kids play at the park - " Rafiki, be careful jumping up on the bench . . ." "Kendi, please don't climb so high on the log . . ."

Rafiki tries out the comfy "visitors" bench in his new home.
Photo credit: D.A. Robertson

Through it all, we observed their antics with satisfied smiles as our winsome beasties reveled in their new surroundings. We commented on how tiny they looked in the huge, new space. And, we noted that although meerkats are only as big as the tassels on a lion's tail, they truly have the heart and courage of an elephant. Their inquisitive zest for life and their ability to live so fully in the moment reminded us about what really matters: Family, a sense of adventure, and gratitude for the simple things in life - like a warm rock to sit on and a friend by your side.

Rafiki and Kendi take a well deserved break from the action.
Photo credit: D.A. Robertson

Our happiness in watching these magical animals enjoy their new enclosure was incalculable. We send BIG THANKS to all who adopted, bought merchandise, and made donations because YOU made the new enclosure a reality! We hope each of you has the opportunity to visit and see the joy you have brought to the meerkats. And finally, on that first wonderful inaugural day, we couldn't resist peeking in one last time as the sun was setting to find a very contented Kendi paying homage to the last sun rays on what we now know is "her" special rock.

"The Blessedness of Being Little" - William Shakespeare
Photo credit: D.A. Robertson

Onward and upward! we are now starting construction on enclosure number two with hopes of having this second space funded, completed and opened for Bara, Jengo and Nalo by the end of the year. When Bara and the "boys" are relocated, their previous enclosure will be opened up for Remi and Suri. This will provide all the meerkats with much larger living spaces and loads of room to dig and burrow to their heart's content.

Stay tuned for updates, photos, and highlights in our next newsletter. In the meantime, as summer slips silently past and fall begins its soft advance, the meerkats send heartfelt thanks for all you do. And, we humans remain enormously grateful to be able to care for them, due in large part to your abiding love and support.

Photo credit: Roberta Stacy

Never forget that life can only be nobly inspired and rightly lived if you take it bravely and gallantly, as a splendid adventure in which you are setting out into an unknown country, to meet many a joy, to find many a comrade, to win and lose many a battle.

Annie Besant - 1847-1933