Of the seven meerkats that once lived in Hoyerswerda Zoo, only the meerkat queen is still alive. The other six animals died in a landslide. The zoo mourns.
Hoyerswerda – In a Saxon zoo, six meerkats died in one fell swoop, only one animal survived.
“They were probably no longer able to free themselves from their self-built cave wing due to a minor landslide,” said the Hoyerswerda zoo. Unfortunately, the salvage attempts were unsuccessful.
Accidents like these also occur in the natural habitat of the meerkats due to their intensive digging activity, it said. Accordingly, when the plant was built six years ago, special attention was paid to the composition of the soil substrate. There is also an “undermining protection”.
Heidi misses family
“Unfortunately, we cannot say why the earth gave way after more than six years,” emphasized the head of the zoo, Eugène Bruins. But one thing is certain: the six meerkats would be sorely missed by the zoo team and meerkat queen Heidi. Meerkats live in large family groups, with a queen in charge.
So that Heidi is not lonely for long, the Hoyerswerda Zoo is now looking for new male partners. Before that, however, the facility is to be renovated. dpa
