Meerkats are intensely social mongooses that live in complex cooperative groups. Their welfare in captivity depends entirely on access to stable social groups, appropriate substrates, and opportunities for sentinel and foraging behaviour.
Meerkat welfare is inseparable from group dynamics. Solitary or pair housing causes severe behavioural abnormalities and chronic stress. Well-managed meerkat groups in zoos show rich social behaviour including allogrooming, cooperative foraging, sentinel rotation, and pup-care — all indicators of good welfare. Substrate management is critical: meerkats need deep, stable substrate in which to dig burrows and engage in natural foraging behaviour. High visitor numbers can cause habituation (neutral) or chronic arousal (harmful) depending on group and individual temperament. Regular enrichment rotation with novel food items, scent objects, and excavation challenges maintains behavioural diversity and psychological wellbeing.