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Exciting Pup-Date: First Ever Meerkat Babies Born At Tapnell

Tapnell Farm Park keepers have announced two adorable additions to their family with the birth of the park's first ever meerkat pups.

Slender-tailed meerkats Kolo and Doto's pups emerged from their nest a few days ago, but the keepers have been keeping close watch via a camera and believe the pups to be a few weeks old now.

Tapnell Farm Park has been experiencing a bit of a baby boom in recent weeks, with chicks born at Easter, harvest mice pups and two Joeys in the wallaby walkabout.

Meerkat pups spend the first 3 weeks hidden away in the nest being tended to by their parents.

For meerkats to become a breeding pair, there must be a strong bond between the two before they mate.

The pregnancy lasts about 70-77 days. At birth, the pups are blind and deaf, and fully depend on their parents for ten days.

Then after a few weeks, they begin to explore the world, and will be taught by their parents how to hunt and forage for their food.

A spokesperson for Tapnell said:

"Although our meerkat pups are looking healthy and will soon be thoroughly checked over by our local vets, the pups are not out of the woods just yet, with them being so young and vulnerable."

The keepers are happy with their progress and keeping everything crossed for these little ones.

Visitors to Tapnell Farm Park may be lucky enough to get a sneak peak of the pups, but keepers can't guarantee when they will be visible.

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