Meet the new meerkat babies at Hunter Valley Zoo
<p>Meet the five latest additions to the meerkat family at Hunter Valley Zoo.</p>
<p>Mum Savannah has been kind enough to bring her three-week-old pups out of her birthing den to explore the outside world during the day.</p>
<p><img width="547" height="307" src="http://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/uvjALPUTQDgnA38sTUhmgb/f16bacc7-27eb-416b-b019-981bc0ef51a3.jpg/r0_57_1500_900_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg" alt="Savannah with one of her pups. Photo: Marina Neil" class="story-image__image" style="opacity: 1; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p>
<p>Hunter Valley Zoo carnivore zoo keeper Danielle Rae said meerkat pups usually spend the first month in the safety of the den, but Savannah has been more than happy to introduce them to the world.</p>
<p> ‘‘When they were born they were smaller than the palm of your hand,’’ she said.</p>
<p>‘‘Now they’re like toddlers trying to walk and slowly learning their coordination.’’</p>
<p><img width="550" height="309" src="http://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/uvjALPUTQDgnA38sTUhmgb/ec2473c7-19d8-4e8b-9058-ac651dc3e1e5.jpg/r0_87_1500_930_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg" alt="Photo: Marina Neil." class="story-image__image" style="opacity: 1; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p>
<p>Rae says it’s quite unusual for a meerkat to have five pups, but the new mother is getting plenty of help from her family.</p>
<p>‘‘All of the adults have been helping with babysitting duties. If the kids are in the den, every 10 minutes one of the adults will go in and check on them, they are one big happy family,’’ Rae said.</p>
<p>The sex of the pups can only be determined at six months. </p>
<p><em>Photo credits: Marina Neil</em></p>
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