Slender-tailed Meerkat
Slender-tailed MeerkatSlender-tailed MeerkatSlender-tailed MeerkatSlender-tailed Meerkat

Slender-tailed Meerkat

Suricata suricatta

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
30–40% · Possible
overall probability at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
75 Verified records at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
February Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The meerkat (Suricata suricatta) or suricate is a small mongoose found in southern Africa. It is characterised by a broad head, large eyes, a pointed snout, long legs, a thin tapering tail, and a brindled coat pattern. The head-and-body length is around 24–35 cm (9.4–13.8 in), and the weight is typically between 0.62 and 0.97 kg (1.4 and 2.1 lb). The coat is light grey to yellowish-brown with alternate, poorly defined light and dark bands on the back. Meerkats have foreclaws adapted for digging and have the ability to thermoregulate to survive in their harsh, dry habitat. Three subspecies are recognised. Wikipedia →

30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Slender-tailed Meerkat sighting in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, based on 75 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Yellow Mongoose
LC Endemic

Yellow Mongoose

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Cynictis penicillata

40–50% · Likely
Slender Mongoose

Slender Mongoose

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Galerella sanguinea

20–30% · With luck
Banded Mongoose
LC

Banded Mongoose

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Mungos mungo

Insufficient data
Lion
VU

Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Panthera leo

50–60% · Likely
Cheetah
VU

Cheetah

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Acinonyx jubatus

40–50% · Likely
Bat-eared Fox
LC

Bat-eared Fox

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Otocyon megalotis

20–30% · Possible
Leopard
VU Endemic

Leopard

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Panthera pardus

20–30% · Possible
Spotted Hyena
LC

Spotted Hyena

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Crocuta crocuta

20–30% · Possible
African Wildcat
LC

African Wildcat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Felis lybica

20–30% · Possible
Brown Hyaena

Brown Hyaena

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Hyaena brunnea

20–30% · Possible
Honey Badger
LC

Honey Badger

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Mellivora capensis

20–30% · Possible
Cape Fox
LC Endemic

Cape Fox

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Vulpes chama

20–30% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

30–40
Jan
40–50
Feb
40–50
Mar
20–30
Apr
30–40
May
40–50
Jun
40–50
Jul
30–40
Aug
40–50
Sep
40–50
Oct
30–40
Nov
30–40
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
30–40%
2 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
3 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
10–20%
4 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
Insufficient data
5 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Slender-tailed Meerkat in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?

About 39% of wildlife watchers report a Slender-tailed Meerkat sighting in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, based on 75 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Slender-tailed Meerkat in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park?

February has the highest sighting rate for Slender-tailed Meerkat in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in our monthly data.

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