Baby meerkats have been born at a world famous zoo for the first time in more than 16 years, and the pups have been caught on camera.
Keepers in the small mammal house at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Washington DC reported for duty the morning of Wednesday, May 10 and spotted that five-year-old Sadie had given birth overnight
These pups are the first offspring for Sadie, who partnered with six-year-old dad Frankie.
In the wild, meerkat pups typically remain in an underground burrow for about three weeks, but the day Sadie gave birth, she surprised keepers by bringing her pups into the main exhibit space.
A cute video of the little mammals looking around has been released by the Smithsonian.
In the clip two of the young pups are sleeping on each while the third starts to move about, before one of their parents comes over to check on the trio.
Animal care staff are leaving the mob to bond with and care for the pups without interference.
They are closely monitoring the family and have observed Sadie nursing her offspring, which appear to be healthy and strong.
Because keepers and veterinarians are not handling the pups, it may be some time before they can determine their sexes.
Native to southern Africa, meerkats live in the dry open plains, savannas and grasslands in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa.
Adults rotate sentinel duty throughout the day, looking out for predators.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature considers meerkats as least concern.
