Munich Zoo (Tierpark Hellabrunn) proudly presents their new inhabitants - three male and one female meerkat that moved in right next to the giraffes' enclosure.

Coming from a wildlife park in Saxony, the four little predators are busy exploring their new Bavarian environment and scraping around for food.

Despite the fact that the animals originally stem from Africa, the local winter weather does not bother them. They either retreat into the cave system or lie down underneath the heat lamps or on the heat plates that the zoo installed for them.

If you want to see that for yourself, check out the opening hours and entrance fees here:
http://www.hellabrunn.de/en/

If you want to prepare for your visit, here are some facts about meerkats you might find interesting:

· Scientific name: Suricata suricatta
· Class: Mammals
· Order: predators
· Family: mongooses, stalking cats
· Size: 12 inches long
· Weight: 600 to 900 grams
· Lifespan: up to 6 years
· Habitat: savanna and semi-desert in southern Africa
· Diet: insects, eggs, lizards, snakes, birds, scorpions