MEERKAT MAGIC MOMENTS - MEERKAT ADVENTURES - CONSERVATION MEERKAT MEERKATS SURICATE SURICATES - Where to find The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project?

Submitted on Monday, June 07 @ 15:43:50 CEST by Grant

Join the Wild and Free Meerkat / Suricate Conservation Cause with The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project on Facebook and make a real difference to conservation of them and their natural habitat
All International Meerkat Friendly Supporters are invited to be listed on our official Wild and Free Meerkat / Suricate Conservation Facebook Cause Page - by telling your friends about our conservation cause we can reach many more supporters of Wild and Free Meerkats / Suricates and really make a sustained difference to their conservation and their habitat preservation - please press the following link: Press here to be listed as part of the Wild and Free Meerkat / Suricate Conservation Cause!

Join us as a friend!
Grant M.Mc Ilrath - A.K.A - The Meerkat Man invites all International Meerkat Friendly Supporters to be listed as his friend on his Facebook page - many updates are posted there often. To join as a friend simply follow the Facebook link that follows and search for the following names: Grant M. Mc Ilrath OR The Meerkat Man. Press here to to go to Facebook and the name search.

The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project has various Study Sites with varying ecology, from low lying valleys, to rolling hills and old river beds, to flowing ones. Visits to Study Sites can be arranged as guided Tours, however none of the Tour areas are marked on any maps, but all are close to the picturesque town of Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape of South Africa, The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project is a unique wildlife conservation site in the world, where you can watch Wild meerkats / suricates and other wildlife on unique Sunrise and Sunset (* when available) Tours - very advanced bookings are suggested.

Hugged by the huge surrounding quartzitic sandstone mountain ranges of the Outeniqua/ Langeberge and a Wolrd Heriatge Site of The Great Black Mountains / Grootswartberge, The Meerkat Magic Valley of the little Karoo / Klein Karoo, is a jewel of three hot spot floral zones combined.

This Little Karoo / Kelin Karoo plain around Oudtshoorn, Western Cape of South Africa is roughly 75 kilometres wide and is comprised mainly of alluvium and shale geology. The Little Karoo / Kelin Karoo has the third richest succulent plant diversity in South Africa. There are more then 6000 succulents in the area of which 40% are endemic!

The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project Study Site Areas, Oudtshoorn, Western Cape, South Africa.

The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project occassionally has Assistant Research Positions available for periods of one to three months. These positions are for Research and Conservation and Education methodogy experience in the field. These limited positions are for assistants who would pay for their accommodation on The Study Areas, Tracker salaries, Experience, Equipment. All assistants who make a significant contribution to The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project will receive mention in future articles on The Wild Web Site.

The following article contains more images, links and contact information: Press here for more information about Grant M. Mc Ilrath - A.K.A - The Meerkat Man and Project leader for The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project

On The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project conservation Study Sites, the fortunate visitor will not only be able to experience a fabulous range of plants, but also the many other animal species in the area, undisturbed and living in harmony and wild!

During the flowering season, The Meerkat Magic Valley is awash in floral colours.

Please view the frequently updated photo albums on The Wild Web Site of The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project to get an impression of the visual delights that occur here.

The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project is also the home of one of three currently recognised subspecies, of the secretive meerkat or suricate. This is the only site of its kind in the world today, to experience the Meerkat Magic of the Wildmeerkats / suricates and other wildlife here at the world's only Wild meerkat / suricate conservation project and Conservation Through Education at The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project.

The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project is less then an hour's drive on R328 to the north, from the sea at Mosselbay (where the Southern right whale can be seen in winter months), along the Garden Route / Tuin Roete, Wstern Cape of South Africa on the very good N2 road.

The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project is situated along and around R62 (Route sixty-two) from Calitzdorp, Oudtshoorn, Western Cape of South Africa. The study sites are only a short scenic drive from the airport at George, Western Cape of South Africa. There is a very good tourism network available, from transport and accommodation to refreshment facilities in Oudtshoorn and the Garden Route to cater for all needs.

Temperatures range from slightly below 0 degrees centigrade in winter, to over 45 degrees centigrade in summer. The average rainfall is around 200 to 250 millimetres per annum. The Little Karoo / Klein Karoo, Western Cape of South Africa is the perfect place for nature and people to live in comfortable harmony.

In winter there is often snow on the Great Black Mountain (Swartberge) range to the North - this makes an incredible contrast with the semi-arid to arid preferences of the meerkat / suricate. The many dynamic changes in light and contrasting colour shades on the mountains make the area a photographer's paradise.

Imagine watching wildlife, that is dwarfed by magnificent snow covered mountains in winter, and engulfed by beautiful colourful flowers, from many succulents and other wildflowers in spring. Then imagine watching these Wild animals in their own habitat of choice...up very close...on foot, yes, join us and Walk With Wildlife here at The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project on your unqiue Sunrise and Sunset (* when available) Tours with us - very advanced bookings are suggested.

Stretched through this majestic valley, sparkling rivers offer a haven to many bird species and aquatic life. This secretive, protected Meerkat Magic Valley offers unparalleled wildlife viewing opportunities. As well as all manner of outdoor activities.

This amazing Little Karoo / Klein Karoo ecosystem supports a large and impressive fauna and flora diversity. The area is characterised by a nearby cascading waterfall, tranquil rivers and vast dams, to rolling foothills and deep world renowned caves (The Cango Caves), to dry riverbeds with fossilised banks, which make a perfect home for Wild meerkats / suricates!

Interestingly, no current distribution maps (at the time of this article) even show this area of the Little Karoo / Klein Karoo, Western Cape of South Africa, as part of the Wild meerkat / suricate distribution range. The meerkat / suricate occurs in isolated and challenging to sight areas here, and because of this has mostly gone unnoticed by the world.

The meerkats / suricates occur in sociable / gregarious groups from 4 to over 35 individuals, and are well camouflaged at The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project making each and every day a special sighting of this very intelligent and elusive fossorial (digging burrows) mammal.

Many secretive shy creatures are well represented in the little Karoo / Kelin Karoo. Out of the approximately 37 species of mongoose / musihond that occur in the world, a fair number including the meerkat / suricate occur here. The meerkat or suricate is often described as a mongoose (however opinions differ on this, and it is also speculated that the meerkats / suricates closest living relatives are the mongooses (this is the correct plural not mongeese or mongi!) , and that it is not a true mongoose species).

There are over 162 bird species in The Meerkat Magic Conservation Project conservation study areas, many reptile species and an abundance of invertebrates around the town of Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape of South Africa. Some of the mammal species that occur in the area include:

Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon)
Small grey mongoose (Galerella pulverulenta)
Yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata)
Water mongoose (Atilax paludinosus)
Meerkat / suricate (Suricata suricatta)
Striped polecat (Ictonyx striatus)
Cape clawless otter (Aonyx capensis)
Honey badger (Mellivora capensis)
Antbear (Orycteropus afer)
Porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis)
Striped mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio)
Scrub hare (Lepus saxatilis)
Aardwolf (Proteles cristatus)
African wild cat (Felis lybica)
Caracal (Felis caracal)
Rock hyrax (Procavia capensis)
Small spotted genet (Genetta genetta)
Black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas)
Bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis)
Cape fox (Vulpes chama)
Leopard (Panthera pardus)
Baboon (Papio ursinus)
Common duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia)
Steenbuck (Raphicerus campestris)
And many other introduced antelope including Springbuck (Antidorcas marsupialis)

To Read more about All Our Study Sites Press here

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