text: i have to do a report on meerkats and i need help....? how many body parts do meerkats have and shred their fur as they grow. try these informative sites.  http://www.sa-venues.com/wildlife/wildlife_suricate.htm http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0209/feature3/  suricate, also called slender-tailed meerkat, small member of the mongoose family that inhabits the southern part of africa. suricates are known for their upright posture and highly sociable behavior.  suricates typically live in dry, open areas and savannas. their range extends from southwestern angola to south africa. these social animals live in colonies, usually in places with sandy soil where they can dig elaborate underground burrows.  suricates measure about 25 to 35 cm (10 to 14 in) in length, not including the tail. they are more slender than many mongooses. they have pointed snouts, silvery-brown fur, and irregular dark stripes on the rump. their faces are white with dark markings on the ears and around the eyes. unlike most mongooses, suricates have four rather than five toes on each paw.  suricates forage for food only during the daytime, eating mainly insects, particularly beetles, spiders, and millipedes. they sometimes feed on small vertebrates, eggs, and roots. suricates typically have two to four young, which are often born in the fall or early winter after a gestational period of about 11 weeks. both females and males care for, groom, and guard their offspring.  suricates typically stand up straight on their hind legs or even their toes to sniff the wind and search for attacking vultures. they have excellent vision and are capable of making at least ten types of sounds, including an alarm bark.  because suricates can carry rabies, they have been hunted or gassed in their burrows in areas where they pose a threat to humans. this has not reduced their numbers significantly. in south africa, these affectionate and easily tamed creatures are often kept as pets.  scientific classification: the suricate is a member of the mongoose family, herpestidae, in the order carnivora. it is classified as suricata suricatta.