Three four-week-old meerkats are captivating visitors during their “peak of cuteness” at Tasmania Zoo.
Head keeper Riley Lowe said the trio are at the perfect age for viewing before they grow to resemble adult meerkats.
While keepers aren’t supposed to play favourites, Lowe admitted baby meerkats rank highly among the zoo’s more exciting arrivals.
“Baby meerkats are definitely up there in terms of the more exciting ones,” he said.
“I don’t mean to be rude to baby wallabies, but it’s just not as exciting as a baby meerkat.”
The trio were now starting to explore and become a little bit more independent from their mum and dad.
Lowe said the babies haven’t been named yet as keepers are waiting to determine their sex first.
Lowe said several successful breeding seasons in recent years had helped make it easier for the parents this time around.
“The mum and dad are both quite well versed at raising babies, so it makes it a little bit easier,” he said.
The meerkat enclosure sits near the zoo’s cafe, creating an ideal viewing spot for families.
“It’s a really good spot to sit down, have your lunch, watch them,” Lowe said.
“They’re kind of moving around, playing with their older siblings now.”
Visitors can watch the pups interact with their family group for extended periods, with Lowe recommending spending at least half an hour observing their behaviour.
Lowe urged animal lovers to visit soon, warning the optimal viewing window is limited.
“Give them another four weeks and they start looking like the other meerkats, which is still cute, but this is the cutest time to see them,” he said.
