Everybody say, "Hakuna Matata." It is World Meerkat Day, a celebration of these adorable creatures known for their instantly recognisable upright position. But don"t be fooled by their names; meerkats are not cats. They"re small carnivores of the mongoose family, native to the deserts and grasslands of southwestern Africa. Meerkats are highly social animals, living in tight-knit groups called mobs, which can consist of up to 30 individuals. These groups are a cooperative effort, with meerkats foraging together, grooming each other, babysitting and taking turns as sentinels to watch for predators. These critters create extensive burrows where they spend the night and retreat to escape the midday heat–meerkats love their afternoon siesta.
World Meerkat Day
Today in History
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An endless stretch of sky
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Is anybody home?
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Out of this world
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Thanksgiving Day
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Cable car station on Piz Nair mountain, Graubünden, Switzerland
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Borobudur temple, Java, Indonesia
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Mesmerising glass pyramids
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Kochia, Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
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Crescent-tail bigeye fish, Great Barrier Reef, Australia
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Sea lion in a kelp forest, Baja California, Mexico
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Humpback whale, Disko Bay, Greenland
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A duckling swimming in a water meadow, Suffolk, England
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International Trails Day
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Beautiful from all angles
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Dusky eagle-owls, Pakistan
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Rapa Valley in Sarek National Park, Sweden
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Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
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Get ready for the blood moon
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Point Reyes National Seashore, California, United States
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Who uses this grassy bridge?
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Glen Brittle, Isle of Skye, Scotland
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One rare streak
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International Jazz Day
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An old bridge in a new light
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International Day of Forests
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Walton Lighthouse, Santa Cruz, California, USA
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Alps of the sea
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Pretty in pink
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International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend
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Happy International Astronomy Day!