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 Daily
Animals UK News
Meerkats Moving Into
Edinburgh Hospital
Did You Know…?
• A group of meerkats is called a
mob. They are very social animals
and live in groups that vary in
size from as few as three to as
many as 50!
• In the wild, they live in the
grasslands and deserts in the south
of Africa.
A group of meerkats will be setting up home at
a hospital in Edinburgh next year.
Five meerkats from Edinburgh Zoo will be
heading to the Royal Hospital for Children and
Young People (RHCYP).
Zookeepers and volunteers from the Royal
Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) will care
for the mob.
The meerkats’ new home will be in a
courtyard at the hospital. Their enclosure will
replicate their natural habitat. It will feature
things, such as logs, rocks and sand.
Perspex screens will surround the enclosure.
This will allow all children and young people at
the hospital to observe the meerkats.
Allister Short is from NHS Lothian. He
explained the decision to house the meerkats
at the hospital. He said: “Meerkats have been
introduced into many children’s hospitals in
Australia and this unique concept encourages
children to learn and be inspired”.
Many children at the hospital are there for
long periods of time. This means they are often
unable to spend much of their time outdoors and
in nature. The hope is that the meerkats will help
children at the hospital connect with nature.
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News
17th July 2023
Photo: Meerkat.
Short went on to say: “We want to brighten
up our patients’ days in an educational way and
we know that the meerkats will be an exciting
addition to the RHCYP.”
Currently, the RZSS hosts a number of
educational activities at the RHCYP. These are
designed to support children’s relationship with
wildlife.
Some of these events include projects about
pandas, penguins and tigers.
According to the chief executive of RZSS,
David Field, they are “taking this incredible next
step by creating the only meerkat enclosure at a
children’s hospital outside of Australia, making
this a first in the UK and Europe.”
Glossary
enclosure An area of land surrounded by a
barrier.
replicate To copy something.
perspex A clear plastic that is similar in
appearance to glass.
concept An idea.
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 Meerkats Moving Into Edinburgh Hospital

Questions
1. What is the name given to a group of meerkats?


2. Tick to show whether the statement is true or false according to the article.
True False
Three meerkats are moving in to the enclosure at RHCYP.
The RHCYP is in London.
A meerkat’s natural habitat is grassland and desert.
Zoo keeper’s from Edinbugh Zoo will care for the meerkats.

3. Identify two other species of animal mentioned in the article other than meerkats.

1. 

2. 

4. Look at Allister Short from NHS Lothian’s quote in the article. Which of the following
words could be used as a synonym for ‘unique’? (tick one)

ordinary
individual
admirable
random

5. How do you think children and young people staying at the hospital will feel about the
meerkats? Explain your answer.





6. Summarise the key information in the article using 15 words or fewer.






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