Meerkats are popular zoo animals with complex social structures and specific welfare needs. Their group dynamics, thermoregulatory behaviour, and foraging needs require specialised management.
Meerkat welfare in zoos depends critically on appropriate social grouping. Isolated meerkats show severe welfare compromise through social deprivation stress. Group management must accommodate the complex dominance hierarchy while preventing excessive aggression toward subordinate individuals. Morning basking opportunity is both a thermoregulatory and apparent psychological need - meerkats consistently orient toward heat sources in morning. Substrate for digging addresses important natural behaviour. Health management requires vigilance for tuberculosis and other diseases common in captive meerkat populations. Meerkats are frequently underestimated as welfare cases due to their popularity and seemingly easy management but have sophisticated needs.