Meerkats

This passage is about an unusual type of animal known as a meerkat.

Lexile Level: 510L

Categories: Animals & Nature

Your pet cat may not like it if you bring home a meerkat. In fact, the meerkat is not a cat at all. This small mammal looks like a strange little monkey with a straight tail. But it also looks like a little fox. The meerkat is a member of the mongoose family. Meerkats live in the Kalahari Desert. It is in southern Africa. They live in groups called mobs. The word "meerkat" is Dutch for guenon. A guenon is a kind of monkey. There is an old African belief about meerkats. The meerkat is known as a sun angel. It protects villages from werewolves. The meerkat is fearless. Meerkats are known to attack poisonous snakes like cobras. They are not afraid of being bitten. Meerkats are immune to poisonous animal bites. So, if a poisonous scorpion stings a meerkat, the meerkat will not be harmed. These brave animals mostly eat insects. But sometimes they eat snakes too.