Meerkats at the El Paso Zoo — Online Webcam

El Paso Zoo meerkats: residents of the African section

In southwestern Texas, in the city of El Paso, there is a zoo that has become home to one of the most sociable and charismatic representatives of African fauna — the meerkat. These small mongooses attract visitors' attention with their characteristic stance: the animals freeze on their hind legs, stretched upright, and carefully look around. It is this sentry pose that can be observed through the online webcam installed right in the meerkat enclosure. The El Paso Zoo occupies 35 acres of territory and houses more than 200 animal species, but meerkats remain some of the most popular residents due to their activity and social behavior.

History of the "Animals of Africa" section

The meerkats at the El Paso Zoo are part of the large-scale "Animals of Africa" exhibit, which opened in March 2010. Initially, the section was represented by two key species: African lions and meerkats. Since then, the exhibit has expanded, but it is the meerkats that have become its permanent stars. The section recreates the African savanna landscape, adapted to the arid climate of El Paso. Sandy substrate, large boulders, and artificial rock formations with caves create an environment as close as possible to the natural habitat of these animals in the Kalahari.

Enclosure setup: natural conditions in Texas

The meerkat enclosure at the El Paso Zoo is designed with the species' needs for climbing and digging in mind. The sandy substrate allows the animals to dig burrows — an instinctive behavior they retain even in captivity. Large boulders and wooden branches serve as observation points: meerkats love to climb up high to survey the territory. Artificial rock formations with caves create shelters where animals can hide from the heat or rest. In the background, the enclosure wall and green vegetation are visible, adding a natural ambiance. All this creates a rich environment for observation via the online camera — every element of the enclosure becomes part of the meerkats' daily life.

Social life of meerkats: family and hierarchy

Meerkats are among the most social mammals in the world. In the wild, they live in family groups, or clans, numbering from 5 to 40 individuals. The El Paso Zoo houses a group that demonstrates typical species behavior: cooperative burrow digging, mutual grooming, and sentry duty. One meerkat always acts as a sentry while the rest of the group members search for food or rest. In captivity, aggressive behavior most often occurs during feeding, which is the main behavioral problem that zoo staff address through environmental enrichment and special feeding strategies.

Feeding and behavior: from cockroaches to rocks

In the wild, meerkats are primarily insectivorous — their diet consists mainly of insects, spiders, scorpions, and small reptiles. At the El Paso Zoo, live cockroaches and other food stimuli are used for environmental enrichment, which make meerkats display natural hunting instincts. One of the zoo's most unusual traditions has become the annual "Quit Bugging Me" event for Valentine's Day: visitors can name cockroaches after ex-partners via Facebook, and then watch meerkats eat these insects live. This campaign went viral and drew attention to the zoo far beyond Texas.

El Paso: a zoo on the border of two countries

The El Paso Zoo is located in a unique geographical position — on the US-Mexico border, surrounded by the Franklin Mountains. It is one of the few zoos in the country where the climate naturally suits African species: the dry, warm air resembles Kalahari conditions. The zoo actively participates in endangered species conservation programs, and the "Animals of Africa" section has become an important educational resource for visitors. Meerkats, like other residents of the section, participate in environmental enrichment programs that stimulate their natural behavior and maintain their physical fitness.

What you can see on the camera

The camera is installed directly in the meerkat enclosure and shows the sandy substrate with large boulders, artificial rock formations with caves, wooden branches, and climbing structures. In the background, the enclosure wall and green vegetation are visible. At the bottom of the image, there are vertical stripes — video stream artifacts that make a significant portion of the frame unreadable. Nevertheless, the main area of the enclosure is clearly visible, and viewers can observe meerkats in real time: how they dig burrows, climb boulders, stand upright in a sentry pose, or interact with each other. The online camera operates in live broadcast mode, allowing you to see the natural behavior of these amazing animals without having to visit the zoo in person.