Big Straw Meerkat

What’s 36 feet tall, made of straw, and peers over the Nantwich horizon? A meerkat, of course! Snugburys Ice Cream Farm of Hurleston in England erects a big straw statue every summer.

The concept started in 1998 with a huge Millennium Dome sculpture and has also seen a straw replica of the Lovell telescope, London Eye as well as last year’s Big Ben standing beside the A51 near Chester.

Director Chris Sadler and his wife Cheryl come up with the ideas and the creations are made by Mike Harper, who builds a steel skeleton which is then stuffed with hay.

Speaking about this year’s design, Mr Harper, 57, said: ‘Everyone loves meerkats, especially my wife, so we thought it would be a good idea.

The colossal meerkat has eyes that light up. Link, -Via: Arbroath, Via: Neatorama

Compare The Meerkats - For Real

The United Kingdom went meerkat crazy in the latter part of 2009, thanks to a viral advertising campaign which really had nothing to do with the animals. Here is a look at the world of the meerkat with some pretty cool facts about (seemingly) everyone’s favorite mongoose. Oh, the pics are really cute too.

Meerkats always have black patches around the eyes, which to the us makes the meerkat seem more human. The patches are, in fact, to help deflect the strong glare of the African sun. Likewise its ears are black and are crescent shaped. When the meerkat digs – as is its wont – then the meerkat is able to close its ears to keep out the sand. The meerkat – like the moggy in one respect at least – has binocular vision. This means that it uses both eyes together.

Link, Via: Neatorama

Christmas Nativity Meerkats

Christmas meerkats in the spirit of an infant school Nativity play! Joseph Meerkat is wearing a loosely belted tunic and is gazing protectively at Mary Meerkat who wears a traditional blue gown. Her shawl drapes modestly over her head and has convenient openings for her ears to pop through.

Christmas Nativity Meerkats.

(Via: Everlasting Blort, Via: Boingboing)

Meerkat Pups

A carnivore keeper holds meerkat pups, the first to be born in nine years at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia. The pups named Zanzibar and Nairobi are four weeks old, born on Jan. 23, 2009. LINK