College welcomes five meerkats to campus

The meerkats are settling in well at their new home at North Lindsey College after being rehomed from a zoo in Wales.

Deanna Band, a technician at the Animal Management Centre said the new additions would provide a fantastic opportunity for their future veterinary professionals to get hands on experience.

She added: “The engaging and charismatic group are settling in very well and are an amazing addition to our expanding animal collection making them the 65th species housed within the Animal Care Centre.

“This exotic species will provide our learners with essential animal experience to meet the needs of the curriculum they are undertaking whilst broadening their understanding of wild animals captive husbandry requirements.

“Our students will gain knowledge from trained, experienced members of staff regarding the five welfare needs for these animals including but not limited to health, diet, maintenance, veterinary care and social structures as well as exploring career possibilities from zoo biology to wildlife conservation.”

Two of the meerkats still need to be named and the College is welcoming suggestions from residents.

The group of meerkats include a mature female named Alexandra who has just turned nine, She is very food orientated and it doesn’t take her long to seek it out. Joker is a five year old neutered male and Fury is his litter sister. These two have slender faces, are very inquisitive and are always up to mischief especially Fury.

The other two females are yet to be named, one is two years old and the other is four. These two are very shy in comparison to the other bolder characters and have taken the longest to get to know. They have sweet little faces, shorter noses than the others.

The college offers a range of animal management courses. For a full list of the courses and more information visit http://www.northlindsey.ac.uk/

Should you wish to put your suggestions forward and win the opportunity to name of the meerkat e.mail [email protected] and the winner will be selected.