Japanese photographer mamekoro51 has probably the most pleasant hobby one could imagine – taking photos of baby animals of various types.
On a recent visit to Inokashira Natural Cultural Park in Musashino City, Tokyo, the animal lover came across an adorable meerkat family with newborn pups, one of whom was a little shy for the camera.
Image credits: mamekoro51
Image credits: mamekoro51
Image credits: mamekoro51
Peeping cautiously from behind a wall, this little meerkat seemed to be afraid at first. However, after a little time, it emerged from its hiding place to say hello, and people are just in love!
Image credits: mamekoro51
Image credits: mamekoro51
The meerkat is a small carnivoran in the mongoose family. These adorable animals live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert in Namibia and southwestern Angola, and South Africa.
Source: Wikipedia
Image credits: mamekoro51
Image credits: mamekoro51
A group of meerkats is called a “mob”, “gang” or “clan”. A meerkat clan often contains about 20 meerkats, but some super-families have 50 or more members. In captivity, these curious animals have an average life span of 12–14 years, and about half this in the wild.
Image credits: mamekoro51
Image credits: mamekoro51
Meerkats babysit the young in the group. Females that have never produced offspring of their own often lactate to feed the alpha pair’s young and they also protect these cute baby animals from threats, often endangering their own lives.
On warning of danger, the babysitter takes the young underground to safety and is prepared to defend them if the danger follows.
Image credits: mamekoro51
Image credits: mamekoro51
Like many species, meerkat young learn by observing and mimicking adult behavior, though adults also engage in active instruction. For example, meerkat adults teach their pups how to eat a venomous scorpion: they will remove the stinger and help the pup learn how to handle the creature.
Image credits: mamekoro51
Image credits: mamekoro51
Despite this altruistic behavior, meerkats sometimes kill young members of their group. Subordinate meerkats have been seen killing the offspring of more senior members in order to improve their own offspring’s position.
Image credits: mamekoro51
Image credits: mamekoro51
Image credits: mamekoro51
Meerkats become sexually mature at about two years of age and can have one to four pups in a litter, with three pups being the most common litter size. The pups are allowed to leave the burrow at two to three weeks old.
Image credits: mamekoro51
Image credits: mamekoro51
Image credits: mamekoro51
Inokashira Park Zoo is located in a quiet and distinctive suburb of Tokyo. It exhibits a variety of Japanese species and contributes to the conservation and breeding of Japanese squirrels, mandarin ducks, and swans. The park also comprises a pond, a botanical garden and Seibo Kitamura (Japanese sculptor) Museum.
Image credits: mamekoro51
Image credits: mamekoro51
Image credits: mamekoro51
Other animals at the zoo include: Asiatic elephants, rhesus monkeys, raccoons, fennecs, Japanese serows, Japanese martens, masked palm civets, Amur cats, raccoon dogs, Japanese squirrels, red-crowned cranes, Japanese birds, tropical birds, mandarin ducks and swans.
Image credits: mamekoro51
OMG, that is just cuteness overload. Especially when the meerkat is peeping behind the wall. It’s just sooo damn cute. 😍❤️
CUUUUUTE! ♥♥♥ That hiding behind the wall series also remind of Chopper from One Piece. ♥
Heartbreaking. Meerkats are burrowing animals who live underground but here they are on a concrete floor. Zoos are evil.
nice pictures, very sweet. Pity that these animals have to live on concrete.
My thoughts exactly! I hate seeing animals living on concrete.
Load More Replies...Zoo that gives no thought to appropriate habitat it would seem.
Load More Replies...Goodness gracious is that baby meerkat stinking cute. Now, I have an odd urge to hear Sean Astin’s voice as he narrates Meerkat Manor.
THIS is why I'd die in the wilderness... I'm gonna kiss that precious little face and it's momma is gonna rip mine off.
Well, Shane, you sound like a man with a plan!
Load More Replies...I have a thing for cats, unicorns, zebras, llamas.... and NOW meercats. Holy cuteness overload <3 :)
You do understand that one of those things on your list doesn’t actually exist, right?
Load More Replies...I love meerkats but they should be in the wild where they belong!
KAWAI AT FIRST BUT THEN KAWAII PHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU LEMME KISS IT AND HUG IT ITS MINE NOW I WILL DONATE CASH FOR WHOLE MEERKAT FAMILIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
I think this SUCKS. There is nowhere for the mother to burrow, meerkats live underground. I HATE zoos, I HATE the carelessness this particular zoos displays. SHAME on them!!
Well, I can die now. I've officially seen the cutest thing in existence. Also, I'm crying a little bit from the cuteness.
It’s Timon!! From the Lion King. They belong in the wild. Hakuna matata!!
I simply adore meerkats, everything about them is too cute, especially when they stand upright, great photos, and they put a smile on my face, thanks !!!
Sorry. Only the first till the fourth picture made me feel like I needed to protect the little critter. It just looked like a kitten exploring the world.
Made me think of that show "Meerkat Manor"...might binge watch it this weekend since I have the whole series :)
All I can do through this article 'AHHHHHHHH OMG AHHHHHH NOOOOO OMG AAAAAAAAAAAA'
Very cute photos of mamekoro...I I love meerkats..thank you for sharing
Cute images. The clarity of the photograph is extraordinary. The natural poses of the Meerkat make the photo more realistic. Wedid photography is the best wedding photography service provider in Chennai. Have a look at their sample photos in their website https://www.wedid.in/. They are very creative and professional.
My cuteness meter just exploded!! Little disturbing the fact bout killing superior's babies so submissive pups can get a leg up. Wow. Meerkats are Gangstah haha
Too much cuteness, luvit luvit luvit. Meercats are one of my most favourite animals ... soo curious with good 'family' values .... Such a pleasure. Thank you soo much for sharing.
kudos to the Japanese photographer for giving me my Chopper reference of the day :D
Those first 4 photos are just so adorable! Awww, who's a teeny-weeny-widdle-cutie-patootie?
The top three photos might very well be the cutest thing in the history of life on this planet!
omg I just wanna love him and pet him and squeeeeeeze him. (but not too hard lol)
They make wonderful pets aswell. We had to raise a few by hand. They make the cutest noises and are fierce fighters, eating scorpions and kicking snake a*s.
Our favourite beastie, along with puffins, cats and dogs.
Most people in the world don’t actually have access to meerkats
Load More Replies...OMG, that is just cuteness overload. Especially when the meerkat is peeping behind the wall. It’s just sooo damn cute. 😍❤️
CUUUUUTE! ♥♥♥ That hiding behind the wall series also remind of Chopper from One Piece. ♥
Heartbreaking. Meerkats are burrowing animals who live underground but here they are on a concrete floor. Zoos are evil.
nice pictures, very sweet. Pity that these animals have to live on concrete.
My thoughts exactly! I hate seeing animals living on concrete.
Load More Replies...Zoo that gives no thought to appropriate habitat it would seem.
Load More Replies...Goodness gracious is that baby meerkat stinking cute. Now, I have an odd urge to hear Sean Astin’s voice as he narrates Meerkat Manor.
THIS is why I'd die in the wilderness... I'm gonna kiss that precious little face and it's momma is gonna rip mine off.
Well, Shane, you sound like a man with a plan!
Load More Replies...I have a thing for cats, unicorns, zebras, llamas.... and NOW meercats. Holy cuteness overload <3 :)
You do understand that one of those things on your list doesn’t actually exist, right?
Load More Replies...I love meerkats but they should be in the wild where they belong!
KAWAI AT FIRST BUT THEN KAWAII PHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU LEMME KISS IT AND HUG IT ITS MINE NOW I WILL DONATE CASH FOR WHOLE MEERKAT FAMILIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
I think this SUCKS. There is nowhere for the mother to burrow, meerkats live underground. I HATE zoos, I HATE the carelessness this particular zoos displays. SHAME on them!!
Well, I can die now. I've officially seen the cutest thing in existence. Also, I'm crying a little bit from the cuteness.
It’s Timon!! From the Lion King. They belong in the wild. Hakuna matata!!
I simply adore meerkats, everything about them is too cute, especially when they stand upright, great photos, and they put a smile on my face, thanks !!!
Sorry. Only the first till the fourth picture made me feel like I needed to protect the little critter. It just looked like a kitten exploring the world.
Made me think of that show "Meerkat Manor"...might binge watch it this weekend since I have the whole series :)
All I can do through this article 'AHHHHHHHH OMG AHHHHHH NOOOOO OMG AAAAAAAAAAAA'
Very cute photos of mamekoro...I I love meerkats..thank you for sharing
Cute images. The clarity of the photograph is extraordinary. The natural poses of the Meerkat make the photo more realistic. Wedid photography is the best wedding photography service provider in Chennai. Have a look at their sample photos in their website https://www.wedid.in/. They are very creative and professional.
My cuteness meter just exploded!! Little disturbing the fact bout killing superior's babies so submissive pups can get a leg up. Wow. Meerkats are Gangstah haha
Too much cuteness, luvit luvit luvit. Meercats are one of my most favourite animals ... soo curious with good 'family' values .... Such a pleasure. Thank you soo much for sharing.
kudos to the Japanese photographer for giving me my Chopper reference of the day :D
Those first 4 photos are just so adorable! Awww, who's a teeny-weeny-widdle-cutie-patootie?
The top three photos might very well be the cutest thing in the history of life on this planet!
omg I just wanna love him and pet him and squeeeeeeze him. (but not too hard lol)
They make wonderful pets aswell. We had to raise a few by hand. They make the cutest noises and are fierce fighters, eating scorpions and kicking snake a*s.
Our favourite beastie, along with puffins, cats and dogs.
Most people in the world don’t actually have access to meerkats
Load More Replies...
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