Grant M. Mc Ilrath has been researching Meerkats for over 11 years and runs the only wild Meerkat conservation project in the world. None of the Meerkats on his project have ever been fed. They are all habituated simply by highly selective ethical neuro-linguistic programming habituation techniques that require many years to implement and constant care to maintain. (using sounds to get them used to him.) After researching the animals for years he realised the potential of introducing the public to Meerkats as ‘symbols’ of conservation.

 

The tours he now runs, experiencing wild Meerkats, fund research and help promote both conservation and alternative land usage in the Oudtshoorn area. Tourists are totally astounded as they get within an arms length of these amazing creatures, and actually accompany them on their morning forage. Meerkats primarily rely on their sense of smell to locate prey underground, having a group of humans trudging along noisily next to them doesn’t present a problem at all. They seem to simply filter out human presence completely, but are always vigilant to other dangers like birds of prey, and will dart for the nearest cover even if the bird is many hundreds of metres away and they are surrounded by camera wielding tourists.

 

Grant believes generally, tourists are too focused on the big five and can have a far more interesting wildlife ‘experience’ getting to understand some of the lesser known and often misunderstood ‘shy five’ as he calls them. Which includes the Porcupine, Aardwolf, Ant bear, Bat Eared Fox and of course the Meerkat. He has over the years published many scientific papers in Meerkat ecology with Cambridge University.

 

People are always initially very happy with their Meerkat ‘pets’, but soon find them impossible to accommodate in a confined domestic environment. They get increasingly aggressive toward other domestic animals and their human tormentors. Releasing them back into the wild is almost impossible as the strict Meerkat, hierarchy is closed to outsiders.

 

Aims of the Film/Media Campaign

To get the general public not to consider a Meerkat as a desirable pet but rather appreciate them, together with the rest of the ‘Shy Five’, in their natural environment.

 

Result/outcome

Production of a 14 min film, broadcast on 50/50 “Meerkat Magic”

Produce a DVD for Meerkat Magic project