Meerkats are creatures of the desert. They are found in the southern part of Africa. The largest number of meerkats lives in the Kalahari Desert. This huge desert covers parts of the countries of Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, and Angola.
The desert where meerkats live gets very little rain. Because of this, the ground is dry and open, with few trees or bushes. The land is covered with soft sand that ranges in color from white to bright orange.
In the Kalahari Desert, the summer is very hot, with the temperature rising up to 115 degrees. The sand is even hotter—up to 150 degrees or more. In winter, the weather is very different. Daytime temperatures reach 70 degrees. At night, it can fall below zero. Winter in the Kalahari is called the dry season. In summer, usually between January and April, the area gets about 12 inches of rain. Very little water remains on the top of the sand, but some water collects under the ground. This helps the meerkats in two ways. Loose sand on top is good for digging for food. Firm, wet sand below is best for building their homes.
Meerkats live in underground burrows. These holes under the ground have three important parts: the entrance holes, the tunnels, and the sleeping chambers. The entrance holes are the doors to the burrows. They are placed all over the area to provide quick escape from danger. If the meerkat in charge of watching for danger gives a warning, all the meerkats run for cover! The tunnels run for miles under the ground. Meerkats move around often in order to stay safe.
The sleeping chambers are 6 to 8 feet under the ground. They are cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The meerkats sleep in groups. They lie close together when they sleep. The burrows are all connected, and all the meerkats in a group share the burrows. How do meerkats know which burrows belong to their group? They mark them by spitting or urinating nearby. The smell tells the group they are home!
