Skip to content

Meerkat pups take first outdoor steps at park

Askham Bryan Wildlife Park Four meerkat pups sit near their proud parent, with the enclosure featuring stone and grass. Askham Bryan Wildlife Park
The four meerkat pups have been exploring their surroundings for the first time

Four meerkat pups have been spotted taking their first outdoor steps at a North Yorkshire wildlife park.

Askham Bryan Wildlife Park said the slender-tailed meerkats began to explore their surroundings in September after venturing out of their burrow.

Born blind and without fur, the meerkats were cared for by parents Lenny and Crookshanks before emerging from underground.

The adult pair arrived as the wildlife park, based at Askham Bryan College's York campus, in July, having previously been at Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire.

Askham Bryan Wildlife Park The four new meerkat pups, huddling up to each other. Askham Bryan Wildlife Park
The pups spent a fortnight underground before emerging from their burrow

Tilly McGill, deputy animal sciences and conservation manager, said: “When we introduced Lenny and Crookshanks together, they got on incredibly well and would not leave each other’s side.

"With a short two-month gestation, we were eagerly anticipating the arrival of babies.”

The new arrivals, which are yet to be named, spent two weeks in their burrow before they were strong enough to leave, the wildlife park said.

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.

Related stories
Related internet links