Biochemical and physiological observations in meerkats (Suricata suricatta) at two zoos during a dietary transition to a diet designed for insectivores

Abstract

This research (involving two separate institutions) assessed the serum chemistries and body weights of meerkats (Suricata suricatta) over a 6-10-week feeding trial to determine the acceptability of a commercially available manufactured diet intended for the feeding of insectivorous animals. Five animals at two zoos were heavier than desired and otherwise healthy at the start of the studies. Measurements of blood chemistries including cholesterol and cell blood count remained within physiologic expected ranges throughout the short-term study. Plasma and serum amino acid levels also remained within normal expected ranges, except taurine, which was much higher than predicted, although there were no significant changes in taurine over time. After initiation of the 6-week trial, these trials were extended for longer-term evaluation of animals in regards to body weight maintenance. In the long-term study, some individuals were restricted in their access to diet, and achieved a beneficial weight loss while maintaining good health. Approximate dietary consumption for captive meerkats in our study averaged 32-44 g, or calculated 92-127 kcal GE/meerkat*day (83-114 kcal ME/meerkat*day), and weight loss of animals at one institution of 10.4% was accomplished over 151 days from day 0, at approximately 30 g, or calculated 86 kcal GE/meerkat*day (78 kcal ME/meerkat*day).

Group size and visitor numbers predict faecal glucocorticoid concentrations in zoo meerkats

“…= 4.5), which would be exceptionally small for wild meerkats in stable groups, and much closer to that seen in the dispersing coalitions in the wild. In captivity, group size has little correlation with food provision, as larger groups are fed proportionally more food, often by scatter-feeding, which reduces the ability of dominant animals to monopolize a food source [31]. This supports the idea that food limitation is likely to play a larger role in determining the levels of fGCs in the wild, whereas its role in determining variation in stress levels in captivity is negligible.…”

“…It may be that, while in zoos these actual threats are not present, there is an innate hormonal stress response to being in a small group, which prepares individuals to counter these potential risks. Since in captivity food provision is generally as high or higher per animal in large groups, both lower throughput and food stress can be ruled out as causes of the group size effect in captive meerkats [31,35]. The perceived threat of attack from either conspecifics or predators, however, may still affect zoo animals.…”

Pathology and causes of death in captive meerkats ( Suricata suricatta )

“…Causes of sudden death that are reported in the literature are dilated cardiomyopathy due to taurine deficiency (Gutzmann et al. 2009 ), pancreatitis (Naples et al. 2010 ) or, less commonly, neoplasia (Singh et al.…”

Peripheral Blood Hemoglobin Concentrations in Wild Meerkats (Suricata suricatta)

“…Little information exists on Hb for herpestids (mongoose), and there are no published studies on wild meerkat (Suricata suricatta) Hb. I found only three publications reporting Hb in herpestids, one captive meerkat and two other herpestid species (Palumbo and Perri, 1974;Palomares et al, 1992;Gutzmann et al, 2009). I established peripheral Hb in wild meerkats and determined whether concentrations were influenced by age, sex, and body condition.…”