Meerkat Magic Moments : Wild and Free meerkat / suricate Shongololo Ungu...

Meerkats do not make good pets and should be protected in the wild.



Meerkat farmers:



Meerkats are often falsely accused:



Meerkats primarily eat invertebrates like insects and scorpions, spiders and also small vertebrates like lizards and skinks and occasionally small snakes. The main reason for this being their primary diet is because they do not have carnasial teeth (teeth designed for cutting meat).



On the rare occasion meerkats may eat small rodents and even a small bird, but they encounter difficulties in eating this form of prey, and so often avoid it in their diet.



Sadly meerkat tracks may be found around dead animals- since meerkats are curious and investigate everything they encounter in their territory. But they are not the cause of the animal dying.



Meerkats are even blamed for eating ostrich eggs! They cannot possibly break the eggs - and only if the egg is already broken by a larger mongoose or jackal, will the meerkat sometimes drink the yolk from the broken egg. They are not the cause for the losses of chicks or eggs however. Many other mongooses' tracks are also often confused with the meerkats tracks.



Meerkats are often wrongly accused of eating ostrich chicks or other farm animals- when actually they are innocent. Many other larger mongooses tend to eat larger prey items like these birds, and have cutting teeth, but these mongooses also control rodent plagues that destroy vegetation and crops and are really beneficial to have on properties.



The name meerkat is often given as a label for many small mongooses and other mongoose-like animals. This confusion and lack of correct information is often why meerkats are misunderstood, or are blamed for stock losses caused by other creatures who specialise in larger prey items.



Accusing an animal for causing stock losses without proof is like accusing all humans of murder because some humans murder! To judge all animals as guilty without proof, and then kill them, is the same as accusing all humans of murder and killing them, without any evidence!



Nature conservationists are the animals and natures only spokespeople, unless there is a better understanding and respect of nature and how we are all so dependant on nature and its resources we will end up destroying it by mistake. The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project wants to share the beauty of nature with everybody because once a better understanding of nature is gained, it will be preserved for all future generations to enjoy!



All animals do play an integral role in nature. To persecute and kill an animal without even knowing if it is the cause of a stock loss is unfair and has far reaching consequences that affect the environment and ultimately the landowner.



Please also remember that meerkats raised in captivity, do not have a natural diet and can learn to eat anything introduced to them by humans - wild meerkats have a natural diet. Tame meerkats are not comparable to wild meerkats in behavior and diet.



Meerkats are nature's farmers for the environment:



Meerkats move around from one foraging site to another preventing overuse of natural resources in an area of land. This continual movement by the meerkats in nature is the equivalent of camp systems or rotational farming used by farmers. It is sustainable resource utilisation.



Meerkats help control insect plagues:



Meerkats control insect plague breakouts by eating large quantities of insects each day, ultimately protecting the land from excessive damage caused by locusts and other insects like termites and ants.



Meerkats help prevent soil erosion:



Meerkats break up hard compacted soil by their constant digging using their sharp claws. This digging helps to prevent soil erosion, by allowing rainfall to infiltrate the soil easily. This prevents what is known as the run-off effect, where water cannot sink into the soil and washes most of the topsoil away, which is so critical for plant growth.



This wash away effect quickly leads to a more severe form of erosion like rill and donga erosion. But due to the meerkats digging habits, this soil erosion process is greatly reduced!



Meerkat burrows channel large volumes of water deeply into the ground, and are like natures storm gutters. This again helps prevent erosion by sudden heavy rains, by absorbing the water into the ground quickly.



Meerkats help seeds have a better chance of germinating:

This rapid water absorption into the soil protects nature and promotes the growth of new plants by trapping seeds in the dug out areas and burrows. This process of seeds accumulating in holes dug by meerkats, and then trapping water in the dug out areas, greatly improves the chances of seed germination.



Humans use a similar farming technique to trap water and seedlings called crater plowing, which breaks up hard soil and allows water to gather around a seedling and give it a better chance to grow.



Bare soil which has previously been eroded can recover more quickly when meerkats occur in the area, these diggings from the meerkats will promote pioneer plants to rapidly grow and stabilise the soil from further erosion.



Meerkats digging around plant roots helps to aerate the roots and create new microhabitats for creatures and promotes plant growth by loosening the soil around the roots. Meerkats also eat many of the creatures that eat plant roots! The removal of these root eating creatures results in the plants growing even better.



Meerkats can prevent the need to use artificial pesticides to protect crops, these pesticides often damage the environment and are not selective in what they kill. Meerkats eat many of the pests on crops like lucern often used for ostrich food, without damaging the plants since meerkats do not eat plants!



In synopsis meerkats on your property are a true gift - they are the guardians of your precious land and keep it healthy and pest free!



Information provided by Grant M. Mc Ilrath - A.K.A - The Meerkat Man



For Grant's international scientific meerkat publications links:

(http://www.meerkatmagic.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=469)



Adopt a Wild meerkat and help support conservation - signed supporter certificate, meerkat poster and meerkat conservation information delivered globally from Britain:

http://www.giftrepublic.com/Product.aspx?ProdID=MEERKATADOPTIT

Giant predatory coleoptra carabid beetles at night and their mating beha...

Conservation Through Education / Natuurbewaaring Deur Opleiding. I watch giant predatory coleoptra carabid beetles at night and their mating behaviour and discuss some of this amazing beetles behaviours.



Carabid ground beetles are a farmers/ landowners financial allies and can save on farming costs and increase crop yields and profits.



These beetles help control weed seeds (invasive alien plant species) and various crop eating invertebrates (aphids, worms, slugs, caterpillars, beetles and more) by actively hunting these food items and act as biological control species and should have their habitat conserved.



These beetles allow the eco-friendly landowner to stop using indiscriminate pesticides and herbicides which are very expensive and destructive to numerous fauna and fauna.



By protecting these beetles and their habitat, the predatory carabid beetles will effectively control weed seeds and crop eating invertebrates at no cost to the landowner.



The conservation friendly landowner can then produce pesticide and herbicide free produce and increase their profit margins and reduce their ecological impact.



When taking precious care of nature, nature takes precious care of us too.



For Grant's international scientific meerkat publications links: (http://www.meerkatmagic.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=469)







The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project's MEERKAT MAGIC MOMENTS are Wildlife Films from Grant M. Mc Ilrath - A.K.A - The Meerkat Man a professionally qualified Nature Conservation Biologist and internationally published wildlife researcher and Director and owner of The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project and The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve - involved with numerous meerkat / suricate films with the BBC; National Geographic; Discovery Channel and more since 1993 and ongoing (over 20 years of fieldwork with two subspecies of the 3 recognised). Bringing you the REAL wildlife film - no post editing or pre-determined scripting or set ups when filming wildlife here - an unedited wildlife documentary behind the scenes and science. No tame, or fed, captured, marked, radio collared, handled animals here - only Wild and Free reserve protected species.



Adopt a Wild meerkat and help support conservation - signed supporter certificate, meerkat poster and meerkat conservation information delivered globally from Britain: http://www.giftrepublic.com/Product.aspx?ProdID=MEERKATADOPTIT

Musical mud the hidden world beneath our feet

Conservation Through Education / Natuurbewaaring Deur Opleiding. Musical mud the hidden world beneath our feet, an amphibian calls to a mate from beneath the mud of a drying up dam.



The risk is clear, how long do you advertise your location to a potential mate before you may attract a predator...a challenge faced by many prey species.



For Grant's international scientific meerkat publications links: (http://www.meerkatmagic.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=469)







The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project's MEERKAT MAGIC MOMENTS are Wildlife Films from Grant M. Mc Ilrath - A.K.A - The Meerkat Man a professionally qualified Nature Conservation Biologist and internationally published wildlife researcher and Director and owner of The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project and The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve - involved with numerous meerkat / suricate films with the BBC; National Geographic; Discovery Channel and more since 1993 and ongoing (over 20 years of fieldwork with two subspecies of the 3 recognised). Bringing you the REAL wildlife film - no post editing or pre-determined scripting or set ups when filming wildlife here - an unedited wildlife documentary behind the scenes and science. No tame, or fed, captured, marked, radio collared, handled animals here - only Wild and Free reserve protected species.



Adopt a Wild meerkat and help support conservation - signed supporter certificate, meerkat poster and meerkat conservation information delivered globally from Britain: http://www.giftrepublic.com/Product.aspx?ProdID=MEERKATADOPTIT

The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve view of The Great Black Mountains

The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve view of The Great Black Mountains.



For Grant's international scientific meerkat publications links: (http://www.meerkatmagic.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=469)





The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project's MEERKAT MAGIC MOMENTS are Wildlife Films from Grant M. Mc Ilrath - A.K.A - The Meerkat Man a professionally qualified Nature Conservation Biologist and internationally published wildlife researcher and Director and owner of The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project and The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve - involved with numerous meerkat / suricate films with the BBC; National Geographic; Discovery Channel and more since 1993 and ongoing (over 20 years of fieldwork with two subspecies of the 3 recognised). Bringing you the REAL wildlife film - no post editing or pre-determined scripting or set ups when filming wildlife here - an unedited wildlife documentary behind the scenes and science. No tame, or fed, captured, marked, radio collared, handled animals here - only Wild and Free reserve protected species.



Adopt a Wild meerkat and help support conservation - signed supporter certificate, meerkat poster and meerkat conservation information delivered globally from Britain: http://www.giftrepublic.com/Product.aspx?ProdID=MEERKATADOPTIT

Meerkat Magic Moments Wild meerkats from Ungulungu group autogroom and s...

Meerkat Magic Moments Wild meerkats from Ungulungu group autogroom and scent mark.



For Grant's international scientific meerkat publications links: (http://www.meerkatmagic.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=469)





The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project's MEERKAT MAGIC MOMENTS are Wildlife Films from Grant M. Mc Ilrath - A.K.A - The Meerkat Man a professionally qualified Nature Conservation Biologist and internationally published wildlife researcher and Director and owner of The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project and The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve - involved with numerous meerkat / suricate films with the BBC; National Geographic; Discovery Channel and more since 1993 and ongoing (over 20 years of fieldwork with two subspecies of the 3 recognised). Bringing you the REAL wildlife film - no post editing or pre-determined scripting or set ups when filming wildlife here - an unedited wildlife documentary behind the scenes and science. No tame, or fed, captured, marked, radio collared, handled animals here - only Wild and Free reserve protected species.



Adopt a Wild meerkat and help support conservation - signed supporter certificate, meerkat poster and meerkat conservation information delivered globally from Britain: http://www.giftrepublic.com/Product.aspx?ProdID=MEERKATADOPTIT





Your anonymous vote can help spread an awareness about the meerkat / suricate pet trade and aid Conservation Through Education – please vote here: http://www.meerkatmagic.com/modules.php?name=Surveys&pollID=5

74_meerkat_magic_meerkat_meerkats_suricate_suricates_video_film_diaries

An ecological conservation impact by wild meerkats - seed dispersal pioneeers. External seed dispersal or Epizoochory is illustrated by the wild and free Ungulungu meerkat group of The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve of The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project.



For Grant's international scientific meerkat publications links: (http://www.meerkatmagic.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=469)





The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project's MEERKAT MAGIC MOMENTS are Wildlife Films from Grant M. Mc Ilrath - A.K.A - The Meerkat Man a professionally qualified Nature Conservation Biologist and internationally published wildlife researcher and Director and owner of The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project and The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve - involved with numerous meerkat / suricate films with the BBC; National Geographic; Discovery Channel and more since 1993 and ongoing (over 20 years of fieldwork with two subspecies of the 3 recognised). Bringing you the REAL wildlife film - no post editing or pre-determined scripting or set ups when filming wildlife here - an unedited wildlife documentary behind the scenes and science. No tame, or fed, captured, marked, radio collared, handled animals here - only Wild and Free reserve protected species.



Adopt a Wild meerkat and help support conservation - signed supporter certificate, meerkat poster and meerkat conservation information delivered globally from Britain: http://www.giftrepublic.com/Product.aspx?ProdID=MEERKATADOPTIT

Face to face with a wild Leopard tortoise Geochelone pardalis from The M...

Face to face with a wild Leopard tortoise Geochelone pardalis from The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve.



For Grant's international scientific meerkat publications links: (http://www.meerkatmagic.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=469)





The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project's MEERKAT MAGIC MOMENTS are Wildlife Films from Grant M. Mc Ilrath - A.K.A - The Meerkat Man a professionally qualified Nature Conservation Biologist and internationally published wildlife researcher and Director and owner of The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project and The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve - involved with numerous meerkat / suricate films with the BBC; National Geographic; Discovery Channel and more since 1993 and ongoing (over 20 years of fieldwork with two subspecies of the 3 recognised). Bringing you the REAL wildlife film - no post editing or pre-determined scripting or set ups when filming wildlife here - an unedited wildlife documentary behind the scenes and science. No tame, or fed, captured, marked, radio collared, handled animals here - only Wild and Free reserve protected species.



Adopt a Wild meerkat and help support conservation - signed supporter certificate, meerkat poster and meerkat conservation information delivered globally from Britain: http://www.giftrepublic.com/Product.aspx?ProdID=MEERKATADOPTIT

Succulent flowers and bees from The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve

Succulent flowers and bees from The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve.



For Grant's international scientific meerkat publications links: (http://www.meerkatmagic.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=469)





The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project's MEERKAT MAGIC MOMENTS are Wildlife Films from Grant M. Mc Ilrath - A.K.A - The Meerkat Man a professionally qualified Nature Conservation Biologist and internationally published wildlife researcher and Director and owner of The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project and The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve - involved with numerous meerkat / suricate films with the BBC; National Geographic; Discovery Channel and more since 1993 and ongoing (over 20 years of fieldwork with two subspecies of the 3 recognised). Bringing you the REAL wildlife film - no post editing or pre-determined scripting or set ups when filming wildlife here - an unedited wildlife documentary behind the scenes and science. No tame, or fed, captured, marked, radio collared, handled animals here - only Wild and Free reserve protected species.



Adopt a Wild meerkat and help support conservation - signed supporter certificate, meerkat poster and meerkat conservation information delivered globally from Britain: http://www.giftrepublic.com/Product.aspx?ProdID=MEERKATADOPTIT

The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve view of The Great Black Mountains

The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve view of The Great Black Mountains.



For Grant's international scientific meerkat publications links: (http://www.meerkatmagic.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=469)





The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project's MEERKAT MAGIC MOMENTS are Wildlife Films from Grant M. Mc Ilrath - A.K.A - The Meerkat Man a professionally qualified Nature Conservation Biologist and internationally published wildlife researcher and Director and owner of The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project and The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve - involved with numerous meerkat / suricate films with the BBC; National Geographic; Discovery Channel and more since 1993 and ongoing (over 20 years of fieldwork with two subspecies of the 3 recognised). Bringing you the REAL wildlife film - no post editing or pre-determined scripting or set ups when filming wildlife here - an unedited wildlife documentary behind the scenes and science. No tame, or fed, captured, marked, radio collared, handled animals here - only Wild and Free reserve protected species.



Adopt a Wild meerkat and help support conservation - signed supporter certificate, meerkat poster and meerkat conservation information delivered globally from Britain: http://www.giftrepublic.com/Product.aspx?ProdID=MEERKATADOPTIT

Meerkat Magic Moments insect vision...

Imagine the meerkat world through the eyes of an insect food item...



For Grant's international scientific meerkat publications links: (http://www.meerkatmagic.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=469)





The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project's MEERKAT MAGIC MOMENTS are Wildlife Films from Grant M. Mc Ilrath - A.K.A - The Meerkat Man a professionally qualified Nature Conservation Biologist and internationally published wildlife researcher and Director and owner of The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project and The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve - involved with numerous meerkat / suricate films with the BBC; National Geographic; Discovery Channel and more since 1993 and ongoing (over 20 years of fieldwork with two subspecies of the 3 recognised). Bringing you the REAL wildlife film - no post editing or pre-determined scripting or set ups when filming wildlife here - an unedited wildlife documentary behind the scenes and science. No tame, or fed, captured, marked, radio collared, handled animals here - only Wild and Free reserve protected species.



Adopt a Wild meerkat and help support conservation - signed supporter certificate, meerkat poster and meerkat conservation information delivered globally from Britain: http://www.giftrepublic.com/Product.aspx?ProdID=MEERKATADOPTIT





Your anonymous vote can help spread an awareness about the meerkat / suricate pet trade and aid Conservation Through Education – please vote here: http://www.meerkatmagic.com/modules.php?name=Surveys&pollID=5

The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve Riverine Ecosystem 14 October 2014

Exploring The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve Riverine Ecosystem 14 October 2014 of The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project.



For Grant's international scientific meerkat publications links: (http://www.meerkatmagic.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=469)



The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project's MEERKAT MAGIC MOMENTS are Wildlife Films from Grant M. Mc Ilrath - A.K.A - The Meerkat Man a professionally qualified Nature Conservation Biologist and internationally published wildlife researcher and Director and owner of The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project and The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve - involved with numerous meerkat / suricate films with the BBC; National Geographic; Discovery Channel and more since 1993 and ongoing (over 20 years of fieldwork with two subspecies of the 3 recognised). Bringing you the REAL wildlife film - no post editing or pre-determined scripting or set ups when filming wildlife here - an unedited wildlife documentary behind the scenes and science. No tame, or fed, captured, marked, radio collared, handled animals here - only Wild and Free reserve protected species.



Adopt a Wild meerkat and help support conservation - signed supporter certificate, meerkat poster and meerkat conservation information delivered globally from Britain: http://www.giftrepublic.com/Product.aspx?ProdID=MEERKATADOPTIT

Meet the secretive bark spider that inspired my poem Invisible Threads

Conservation Through Education / Natuurbewaaring Deur Opleiding. Meet the secretive bark spider that inspired my poem Invisible Threads included in this note below.



It was a magnificent sunset and I sat entranced, and the slighest movement caught my glance, upon a single thread a miraculous web formed before my eyes from a predatory spider few have spied.



INVISIBLE THREADS:



ALONE AT FIRST…

PATIENT

DAYLIGHT FADES

CLOAKED IN INKY VEIL

A SUDDEN BURST

DRIVEN ONWARDS BY

AN INSATIABLE THIRST



SWIFTLY BEGUN

INNATELY SPUN

SPIRALS WITH WHICH

NO CRAFT CAN COMPARE

WOVEN AS IF FROM AIR



TIGHTLY BOUND

WITHOUT THE SLIGHTEST SOUND

RUSHING RELENTLESSLY

RESOLUTELY

ROUND AND ROUND







A SINGLE PAUSE

BEFORE ADDING

THE FINAL STRAND

HIDDEN YOU REMAIN

WITH THREADS

YOU ARE SUSTAINED





ARACHNIDS ETERNAL GAME



DARKNESS LURKS

NO TIME TO SHIRK

A BANQUET AWAITS

WITH NO SET DATE



AS IF TIME ITSELF

STANDS STILL

MESMERISED

TRAPPED BY

YOUR WOVEN PULL





SHIMMERING

GLEAMING

INVISIBILITY UNSEEMING

YET MOONLIGHT BEAMING

THE ONLY TRACE

ACCROSS YOUR

DREAMLIKE PLACE



ALONE AT FIRST…

UNQUENCHABLE THIRST

BEYOND YOUR

MULTI EYED SIGHT

CRYSTALS FLARE

DEEP AND BRIGHT



BEYOND YOUR REACH





AN INKY NET

MOCKS YOUR IMMITATION

WHICH COULD NEVER

BE AS VAST

AS THE ONE ENCOMPASSED

WITHIN THE COSMIC GRASP



ALONG PRECISCION

NEAR INVISIBLE TRIP WIRES

OF PREDETERMINED FATE

YOU PRECARIOUSLY AWAIT





SOON THEY WILL ARRIVE

UPON THEM

WHOM YOU SHALL PREDATE



DAWN HAS COME

DIAMONDS DANGLE DANCINGLY

DELIRIOUSLY

IN YOUR UNHAPPY NET

DRIP DRIPPING

TO THIRSTY EARTH

AND YET



YOU ARE NOT ALONE

ANYMORE...

A DEAFENING THREAD

THRASHING

TEARING

TANGLED ROAR





SHINY WINGBEATS

TORMENTED

STRANGLE IN

YOUR MASTERPEICE

THEY NOW DANGLE





AWAITING YOU

HOST OF THIS

ONE WAY HOTEL



ALL ARE WELCOME

BUT NONE

BID YOU FAREWELL





A JUICY FEAST

QUENCHES THIS

MIRACULOUS BEAST

FOR NOW

IT IS TIME TO DINE

ON YOUR OWN SILKY FARE





ANOTHER NIGHT

TO AWAIT

FOR THOSE UNAWARE





YOU ARE ALONE...

AT FIRST

YOU BEGIN YOUR WELL

PRACTICED VERSE



NIGHT HAS RETURNED

YET AGAIN

YOUR APPETITE BURNS

WITHOUT END…



For Grant's international scientific meerkat publications links: (http://www.meerkatmagic.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=469)





The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project's MEERKAT MAGIC MOMENTS are Wildlife Films from Grant M. Mc Ilrath - A.K.A - The Meerkat Man a professionally qualified Nature Conservation Biologist and internationally published wildlife researcher and Director and owner of The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project and The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve - involved with numerous meerkat / suricate films with the BBC; National Geographic; Discovery Channel and more since 1993 and ongoing (over 20 years of fieldwork with two subspecies of the 3 recognised). Bringing you the REAL wildlife film - no post editing or pre-determined scripting or set ups when filming wildlife here - an unedited wildlife documentary behind the scenes and science. No tame, or fed, captured, marked, radio collared, handled animals here - only Wild and Free reserve protected species.



Adopt a Wild meerkat and help support conservation - signed supporter certificate, meerkat poster and meerkat conservation information delivered globally from Britain: http://www.giftrepublic.com/Product.aspx?ProdID=MEERKATADOPTIT

Interview with a hunting spider at night

Conservation Through Education / Natuurbewaaring Deur Opleiding. I interview a large arachnid at night...

For Grant's international scientific meerkat publications links: (http://www.meerkatmagic.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=469)

The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project's MEERKAT MAGIC MOMENTS are Wildlife Films from Grant M. Mc Ilrath - A.K.A - The Meerkat Man a professionally qualified Nature Conservation Biologist and internationally published wildlife researcher and Director and owner of The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project and The Meerkat Magic Valley Reserve - involved with numerous meerkat / suricate films with the BBC; National Geographic; Discovery Channel and more since 1993 and ongoing (over 20 years of fieldwork with two subspecies of the 3 recognised). Bringing you the REAL wildlife film - no post editing or pre-determined scripting or set ups when filming wildlife here - an unedited wildlife documentary behind the scenes and science. No tame, or fed, captured, marked, radio collared, handled animals here - only Wild and Free reserve protected species.



Adopt a Wild meerkat and help support conservation - signed supporter certificate, meerkat poster and meerkat conservation information delivered globally from Britain: http://www.giftrepublic.com/Product.aspx?ProdID=MEERKATADOPTIT