Photographer Captures Baby Meerkat and Family In 23 Adorable Pics
Few things are more irresistible than a baby animal, especially when it shows up in a photo set this charming. On a recent trip to Inokashira Natural Cultural Park in Musashino City, Tokyo, an animal photographer got a close look at a meerkat family, including a tiny newborn pup that quickly stole the spotlight.
The little one was cautious at first, peeking out from behind a wall and keeping its distance. But once it warmed up, the whole scene turned into a string of adorable moments that are hard to scroll past. Read on.
The cautious little guy peeped around the corner from behind a wall and seemed to be afraid at first.
That shy first peek only made the moment cuter.
But after a little while, he emerged, much to the delight of onlookers who were instantly in love.
A group of meerkats is called a "mob," "gang," or "clan," and usually contains around 20 meerkats. In captivity, a meerkat's lifespan is around 12 to 14 years.
The family dynamic is just as adorable as the pup itself.
Meerkats are very protective of their young. Even meerkats who have never produced young of their own can begin to lactate in order to care for the pups in the clan. They will often endanger their own lives to protect their young.
Meerkats educate their young and ensure they learn valuable survival skills. Pups also mimic the adults in the group and learn from their behavior.
Every tiny pose seems to add to the charm.
More baby cuteness, including Kiwi and his Goth wife, is waiting in these 50 adorable baby animal pics.
Meerkats reach sexual maturity at around two years old and can produce one to four pups per litter. Pups will generally leave the burrow at around two to three weeks old.
Inokashira Park Zoo also contributes to the conservation of Japanese squirrels, mandarin ducks, and swans.
The zoo has plenty more to see beyond the meerkats.
Other animals featured at the zoo include Asiatic elephants, rhesus monkeys, raccoons, fennecs, Japanese serows, Japanese martens, masked palm civets, Amur cats, raccoon dogs, red-crowned cranes, and tropical birds.
But surely these little guys have got to be the cutest!
It is hard to argue with that.
Want more bonding, see how a wildlife photographer built a connection with a meerkat mob.
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