A Meerkat's Tale Planet Earth Live

Meet Swift,

a tiny meerkat pup.

She was born in the Kalahari Desert in South Africa,

a dangerous and challenging world.

It's winter, the leanest time of year.

And this year, conditions are more desperate than ever.

The rains have failed.

Food is scarce, and Swift is hungry.

The search for food will force her family to take more and more risks,

putting Swift's young life on the line.

Will she find enough to eat?

Will she avoid being on the menu herself?

She'll face deadly snakes.

Scorpions.

And neighbours from hell!

Her chance of surviving the next month is just 50 per cent.

Cameraman Toby Strong spent May 2012 following Swift and her family's adventures

during this make or break time.

I've got very upset meerkats. They're running!

They're going, going, going, going, going.

That was a very real danger!

To survive, Swift will need plenty of character.

And a lot of luck.

This is Swift's story.

It's 7.00am in the Kalahari Desert.

Swift has just woken up.

She spent the night underground with her family, called the Whiskers,

in an extensive burrow.

Just after sunrise, they all start to stir.

The Whiskers are 25-strong,

a formidable team.

And just like all meerkat groups,

the boss is female.

Whiskers' leading lady is Enili,

instantly recognisable from her radio collar.

Enili's only four years old,

but she's the principal decision maker.

Every member of this family is dependent on the choices she makes.

Especially Swift...

..and her brother and two sisters.

Good morning, you tiny little creatures!

Cameraman Toby Strong knows just how fragile these pups are.

I forget how tiny they are!

At just five weeks old,

they still only weigh as much as an apple.

These pups have only been out of the burrow about ten days.

And everything is new.

Everything's an adventure.

Even at their tender age, they've got their own characters.

Swift is a courageous little thing.

Good morning!

Hello, little one!

Nice to meet you!

You let me touch you!

Of the four pups,

this one here is the bravest.

She's always running around,

on look-out duty.

She really is a gutsy little fellow.

Swift may be brave, but she's also hungry.

She's lost five per cent of her bodyweight overnight,

simply keeping warm.

She urgently needs food.

She's still suckling, but she needs more substantial meals.

With the rains failing, it'll be a real challenge for Enili to find enough food

to keep Swift and the other pups alive.

It's about 50/50 that a meerkat pup will make it to two months old.

It's quite a sad thought, but the chances are we'll lose two of these pups.

Take care, little one!

Enili leads the family off into the desert.

It's the start of another long day.

With food so scarce, she'll have to take risks to keep this growing family fed.

It's hard work for Swift's little legs,

but she's got to stick close to the adults or she won't get a meal.

And every step takes her further away from the safety of the burrow.

Being out in the open is dangerous when you're so small.

Meerkat pups are top of the menu for many predators.

Especially martial eagles.

Some of the subordinate males stand watch

so Swift and the others can get their heads down and feed.

Swift's cousin Emesto takes his turn.

His dark eye patches act like sunglasses,

reducing the glare.

And his eyesight is keen enough to spot an eagle literally miles away.

All the time he's on watch, Emesto sings what's called the watchman's song.

CHATTERING

As long as he keeps singing, the group feeding below know the coast is clear.

Almost everything a meerkat eats is underground.

They use their exceptional sense of smell to sniff out a snack.

Then it's just a matter of digging it out.

The adults are like mini excavators.

Their big claws and powerful forearms

mean they can shift their own bodyweight of sand in seconds.

But Swift doesn't yet have the strength or skill to do this for herself.

She's utterly reliant on the adults for food.

But first, she has to get their attention.

Meerkat pups beg constantly.

CRIES OUT

The louder and more frequently they call,

the better their chance of a meal.

But with four pups begging, there's intense competition.

They might be brothers and sisters,

but when it comes to food, it's every pup for themselves.

Swift has to fight her corner.

And stick close to a grown-up.

The hard work finally pays off.

But this meal is a sure sign that conditions are tough.

It's a chongololo, or giant millipede.

Its skin is packed with foul-tasting toxins.

Swift learns to drag it through the sand to remove the noxious coating.

Meerkats only bother with such a bitter meal

when food is scarce.

Swift needs all the food she can get.

But eating can be dangerously distracting.

DISTRESS CALLS

Something's been spotted.

Swift has to get back to the group.

There's safety in numbers.

Everyone comes.

Everyone's up, all these eyes. Everyone's up, keeping an eye out. What is it, where is it?

Swift and the other pups are as nervous as the adults.

But it's a false alarm.

Vultures are scavengers, not hunters.

They're harmless.

It's a valuable lesson.

But all the excitement has been too much for tiny Swift.

Falling asleep...

on his little sister!

It's the hottest part of the day.

After this morning's events,

the Whiskers enjoy some chill-out time.

It's funny. After an alarm call,

everyone gets quite frisky and playful. Look at that.

There's a sense of release, release of tension.

Cat-nap over, and Swift joins in too.

TOBY LAUGHS

Bent double!

It seems the pups have got their courage back.

This fluffy bit's the microphone, see?

Looks like Toby's been accepted as part of the clan!

Stay.

These are all wild animals. So how on earth can Toby get so close to them?

It's all down to science.

The meerkats here have been studied for over two decades.

Which means they're completely habituated to humans.

Researchers have meticulously charted every aspect

of these meerkats' lives.

Slowly but surely the meerkats have got used to humans.

So the film crew are pretty much ignored,

allowing them to get within touching distance of the animals.

They're just part of the landscape!

I'm so envious of these two pups.

Oh!

And a cameraman makes the perfect lookout post!

I've been lucky enough to film with elephants, gorillas, bears,

and none of them have ever sat on my head!

I guess that's a good thing!

The Whiskers family can never rest for long.

These lean animals can't store much body fat.

They need to eat every day to stay in good condition.

And with four extra mouths to feed,

there's added pressure to keep foraging.

SWIFT CRIES OUT

But Swift's calls are going unanswered.

The adults are only finding the odd morsel,

and they're taking those for themselves.

A hungry pup will soon struggle.

Enili must keep moving on.

But the further they travel from home,

the greater the risks.

This is the home to our meerkats.

Behind me are these lovely dunes that mark the northern edge

that drop down to the plains.

And that's the centre of the Whiskers' group world.

One of the main dangers for meerkats is other groups, and they're surrounded.

You've got the Kung Fu group here,

you've got Ewoks, you've got Toyota group

and Sequoia group up here.

Another great danger is the road.

A road bisects their territory.

Today, Enili has made a decision that puts the Whiskers into real danger.

They've reached the road.

There could be better pickings on the other side,

but meerkats are not blessed with much road sense.

Especially the pups.

Meerkats are crossing, which is really dangerous, because they get hit by cars every year.

You can't really underestimate how dangerous this road is.

They'll lose about ten meerkats a year on it.

When I was here, about a month ago, with a group that were crossing every single day,

there were three in one week.

Enili pushes the group on.

What are you doing?

With the family safely across, Swift has no choice.

She must stick with the others if she's going to get a meal.

It looks like Enili's made the right decision.

There's plenty of food here.

And Swift is in prime position to make the most of it.

I can see 12, 14 adults foraging around.

When they find a grub and want to feed a pup,

they listen. Who are they going to hear? Swift.

Right in the middle.

She's the loudest and most insistent.

All the food comes to her.

She's had six fat larvae in what, five minutes?

The Whiskers have found enough food to go round.

But they've also left themselves exposed.

This is the territory of a neighbouring meerkat family.

Whilst Swift is blissfully unaware of the dangers,

some of the adults are on high alert.

They know if they get caught raiding their rivals' larder,

the results could be devastating.

The Whiskers' worst enemies are rival meerkat families.

Resources are limited, and they're worth fighting for.

Meerkats are very territorial.

They'll defend their patch with their lives.

The drought has forced the Whiskers ever further from home.

The enemy could spot them at any time,

putting Swift seriously at risk.

We're in another two groups' territories.

About a month ago, they killed one of the pups.

So if those two groups meet, there will be a full-on fight.

And the chances are we could easily lose a pup.

The Whiskers don't have much choice.

This is where the food is. They have to take the risk.

While some keep watch, the rest get their heads down.

But has Enili pushed her luck too far?

It's tough going.

Lack of rain has driven the grubs and larvae the meerkats eat

deep underground, forcing the Whiskers to work for every morsel.

And catching your meal is just the start.

You'd better get it down quickly

or someone will steal it.

In this tough environment, no-one can be trusted.

This feathered thief has learned that a group of hungry meerkats

are well worth following.

A naive pup like Swift is the perfect target.

She hasn't seen what this bird can do yet.

Swift gets given an enormous larva.

Exactly what this bird has been waiting for.

She might be little, but Swift's not going to give up such a valuable prize without a fight.

It's a welcome meal for her.

Perhaps this bird would be wiser to choose an easier target next time.

Swift has learned another important lesson about who's who in the Kalahari.

Enili and the other adults are doing their best to look after the pups.

But this support won't last for ever.

In a month or so, Swift will have to fend for herself.

That takes practice.

She hones her digging skills by mimicking the adults.

So far without success.

To work out where to dig, she must use her phenomenal sense of smell.

Swift's nose will become one of her greatest assets.

And not just for finding food.

It will be her guide through this desert,

helping her decipher all sorts of messages hidden in the landscape.

To a meerkat, every scent tells a story

of who's been where and when.

They're spooked by something.

Could be a snake.

Could be their terrestrial predator.

It could have been a jackal, a caracal, perhaps.

Or a genet slept here last night.

I've got Swift and two of the other pups right in there,

sniffing away, searching away.

It could also be other meerkats.

But we are in another group's territory.

A group called Toyota.

Each meerkat family has its own unique scent.

The Whiskers have caught wind of the resident gang.

This general area, there's a real awareness.

Tails up.

I've got very upset meerkats. They're running.

What have they seen?

They're looking on the ground.

I think it's other meerkats. I think they've spotted another group.

Everyone's on high alert.

Enili has a big decision to make.

Flee to keep the pups safe...

..or fight, and potentially increase the size of their territory.

It's a huge gamble.

Whiskers are here with four pups.

Toyota have some big males in their group.

If they get hold of our pups, they will kill them.

Decision made.

They're war dancing.

This is serious.

Where are they going? I can't see any others.

Whiskers are advancing.

They're taking the fight to the other group, which I can't see yet.

I can't see the pups. Here come the pups now.

In they come.

Bring the pups up. Everyone re-group.

This display is enough to send the enemy packing.

Here's what I think has happened.

Toyota is a small group. I think Enili leading the Whiskers,

a big show of force forwards, war dancing,

the other group's legged it.

And these little pups and Swift are safe.

And the Whiskers group has expanded their territory.

Another risky but brave call from Enili that's paid off.

I think she is a pretty cool cat!

Over the next few days, Enili repeatedly pushes the boundaries

to try and keep her family fed.

Food is desperately scarce.

Each day, the Whiskers must travel further than ever.

If they keep invading rival meerkats' territories

with four tiny pups,

sooner or later they'll come unstuck.

Late one evening, the Whiskers are left stranded, deep in enemy territory.

They're too far from home to turn back.

They'll have to find somewhere secure to spend the night.

The safest option is underground.

At night, the temperature can plummet to well below zero.

And there will be predators on the prowl.

There is a burrow here,

but it's far from safe.

Kung Fu, another meerkat group,

this is their burrow, deep in their territory.

And now Whiskers have been caught out by the time

and are having to spend the night here.

They won't be approaching the burrow as they do to one of their own.

They're a lot more nervous. A lot more sniffing,

a lot more observant.

There's every chance that these pups will not have smelt this smell before.

This is your enemy.

They have to be sure before they commit themselves

and the pups are spending the night here.

Hold on.

They're mobbing something.

They're not happy about something down this hole.

I've heard there's ground squirrels down there.

But they wouldn't be doing this to ground squirrels.

Could be a snake. Could be a puff adder.

I can't see.

Swift's brave cousin Emesto is one of the first to check out the holes.

This one seems clear,

so they all take a chance.

If I was a meerkat, part of the Whiskers group,

I would not sleep happily here tonight.

Only time will tell if they've made the right call.

Take care, pups.

At nightfall, there's a change of shift in the Kalahari.

Many predators start their nightly patrols.

This African wildcat is a close relative of our domestic cat.

Its nocturnal vision and super-sensitive hearing

enable it to hunt even on the darkest nights.

A meerkat pup stranded above ground would be an easy target.

But even underground, the family isn't entirely safe.

Venomous snakes are a real danger.

So are rival gangs.

DAWN CHORUS

Have Swift and the rest of the Whiskers come through the night unscathed?

With the sun close to the horizon,

they should be getting up by now.

I'm really keen to count those pups up.

I counted down four. I just hope we count up four.

They do not want to be hanging around here.

They do not want to be caught at this burrow.

First meerkat's up.

Where are the rest?

There's another.

The dominant male.

He's a tough, battle-scarred individual.

No sign of Swift yet.

One, two, three, four, five

adults up.

Come on! Where are the pups?

Seven, eight, nine, ten. We've got about half the group up.

Pup. It's a pup. Who is it?

First one.

One pup with Enili.

It is Swift.

And one of her brothers or sisters.

We've got three pups. Three pups up.

Just one to go!

Four!

We've got all four pups. Thank goodness!

You made it through the night, guys!

Enili took a big risk staying here last night.

But it paid off.

Meerkat families have burrows throughout their territories.

Thankfully, Kung Fu must have used a different one last night.

And if there was a snake down one of the holes,

they managed to avoid it.

After such a bitterly cold night,

Swift and the family need to recharge their batteries.

They get up on their hind legs and soak up the sun in that classic meerkat pose.

They look like a load of furry Easter Island statues!

Their chests are covered in a fine layer of dark fur.

It acts like a little solar panel,

absorbing every drop of warmth from the dawn's first rays.

A sunny morning is also the perfect time for a little group bonding.

As soon as two start, the others are bound to join in!

All this fun has a purpose.

It reinforces the hierarchy.

Who's above who.

Even the boss joins in!

For the pups, this rough and tumble is more than a game.

It sets their place in the pecking order for life.

It looks like Swift is coming out on top.

Swift is growing stronger and more independent every day.

She still suckles

but less and less.

Pretty soon, that source of sustenance will dry up completely.

Swift and her three siblings need more solid food every day.

Enili can't afford to bask any more.

Enili is leading the group off.

But once again, the tough conditions force her in a dangerous direction.

Why is she taking them that way?

Whiskers' home territory is that way.

Kung Fu group, Ewok group are that way.

I've never seen them this far into another group's territory before.

With four pups, that's dangerous.

With so many hungry mouths to feed,

it looks like the rewards outweigh the risks.

For now.

But Enili must be cautious.

The neighbours won't be happy, having food stolen

from right under their noses.

The group who rule this territory are a force to be reckoned with.

Their arch rivals, Kung Fu.

Over 30 strong, they outnumber the Whiskers, and are unlikely to back down in battle.

And there's history between these two families.

Earlier in the year, they came to blows.

A pup was killed in the crossfire.

As the Whiskers head deeper into Kung Fu's territory,

Enili must be ready to react.

The enemy could be anywhere.

They've now come across a bolt-hole...

..of the Kung Fu group.

Meerkats have bolt-holes throughout their territories,

where they can flee as soon as danger is spotted.

It looks like this one has been used very recently.

There's a lot of sniffing, a lot of marking.

Hyper-aware,

everyone keeping an eye.

Tails up.

Super, super-aware.

Enili doesn't like this one little bit.

She's not willing to risk it.

Time to retreat.

I've no idea what they've seen.

Tails up, backs arched,

pups and helpers at the front.

Adults...who can fight at the back.

Get the pups out first.

I've never seen them run this far, this fast.

That was a very real danger.

Whatever it was!

Meerkats are light and very fleet of foot.

Whereas I, with this lot,

am not!

I can't see them.

They're heading to the road.

In all this chaos, it would be so easy for the pups to get left behind.

Have they all made it to safety?

Ah.

OK. Here's the group.

Who's here?

One, two... Two pups.

Three pups. Four pups.

All the pups are here!

We've just run nearly a kilometre.

We're now right back at the road.

Enili has decided this must be safe now.

But it's left Swift and the other pups utterly exhausted.

This pup is out for the count.

It's just sprinted nearly a kilometre.

It's got nothing left.

I'm knackered. Goodness knows how those pups did that!

Phew!

Exhaustion aside, Enili has once again made the right choice for the family.

She's chosen to head home.

It's been another long day for Swift.

In human terms, she's covered the equivalent of a marathon on her tiny legs.

She's narrowly avoided going into battle.

And she's had to run for her life.

But she's safe.

For now.

The sun is now very low in the sky,

casting huge shadows, even off these little pups.

Good job from Enili today.

Everyone's fed.

More importantly,

she's kept the whole group out of trouble.

Kept them safe.

And everyone's got home safely.

Job well done for her.

Enili isn't taking any risks tonight.

In their own burrow, the Whiskers should sleep soundly.

Next morning, the Whiskers are late to rise.

It's soon obvious that one of the adults is really struggling.

It's Emesto, Swift's cousin.

He's been bitten by a snake.

You can see the mark on his head here.

His right eye, very nearly closed.

And that general lassitude, drooping.

Compare his posture to the other meerkats.

Up, agile, aware, light.

This is a sick, sick animal.

The Kalahari is home to some of the most venomous snakes in the world

including Cape Cobras.

When meerkats meet a snake above ground,

they mob it en masse.

They have astonishing reflexes and can avoid every strike.

In the confines of a burrow,

it's a different story.

Last night, down in the burrow system, imagine it.

Cobra in the dark. This one takes the hit.

A single Cape Cobra bite contains enough venom to kill many men.

This meerkat weighs less than a kilo.

Somehow, he's clinging on to life.

But the powerful venom is now pouring through Emesto's little body,

making it increasingly hard for him to breathe.

Swift and the rest of his family seem aware of his suffering,

but there's nothing they can do.

This is a battle he's going to have to fight alone.

Living in such a desolate place,

they have their own challenges to face.

Especially finding enough to eat.

The group must head off to forage.

They have no choice but to leave Emesto behind.

FLIES BUZZ

WHIMPERS WEAKLY

Emesto bravely tries to keep up,

but he doesn't have the strength.

Practically blind and almost paralysed by the snake's venom,

he slowly drifts behind.

Over the years, I've seen different animals who've died.

And they tend to take themselves away, on their own.

This is the grim reality for meerkats.

They live in a dangerous world.

Every day they face snakes and other deadly predators.

From time to time, one of them succumbs.

Even though they're a man down,

the Whiskers can't shake the risky habit of stealing from the neighbours

to feed their growing family.

But it's paying dividends.

Swift is thriving.

She's seven weeks old now, and she's doubled in size.

She's getting more independent every day.

She can even dig up the occasional morsel for herself.

But the more time you spend away,

the bigger the chance of being burgled yourself.

The Whiskers have been given a taste of their own medicine.

A rival group's been sleeping in one of their burrows.

And they don't like it one little bit!

When they catch sight of something, it really gets their backs up!

The Whiskers are on the war path.

Full on war dance. Straight towards the sand dunes to the north.

I'm presuming it's another big group.

This is meerkats at their meanest.

Tails up, backs arched.

War dancing is a visual show of strength.

The bigger the show, the better the chance the other group will turn tail and flee.

Without Emesto, Whiskers are missing a warrior.

But this time, Swift and the other pups make up the numbers.

Look at Swift, war dancing!

She knows what to do!

This dune marks their northern territory.

There's a group called Sequoia whose territory borders right on this ridge.

Maybe it's them.

If the war dance doesn't scare the intruders off,

and they end up trading blows,

Swift and the other pups will be most at risk.

Whiskers are not happy. They want to see them off.

These guys are all over the place!

Swift and her sister right at the forefront.

That pup knows no fear!

There's no sign of the intruders.

Looks like they've realised the Whiskers were just too strong.

For my money, this was Sequoia group. They're always pushing this boundary.

Whiskers weren't happy with it.

They obviously slept within Whiskers' territory last night.

Swift and the others came over, smelt them. "Not having this."

They must have caught sight of them for their reaction to be that strong.

Chased them right up over the dunes. They've gone!

Swift has passed her first test in the art of meerkat warfare.

With so many close calls recently, the Whiskers are still on high alert.

When they spot a lone male in the distance,

naturally they're nervous.

It could be a scout from a neighbouring troop.

You get lone males who'll try and come and mate with the females.

They are very much seen as the enemy and they will be killed if they are caught.

Here come Whiskers.

Swift's there at the front.

They're going, going, going, going, going!

I've lost them. Got to move.

Oh, that's amazing!

It's not a rogue male.

It's Emesto!

They're back together! They're smelling him, they're scenting him.

They recognise him.

Enili, Swift, right in there.

I can't believe it!

We left that male bitten by a cobra two days ago.

I truly thought

that was him dead.

I haven't seen him for two days.

And he's made it back to the group!

That's astonishing!

These tiny creatures

continue almost daily to astound me.

That venom would have killed ten of me.

And yeah, he may be blind in one eye,

but he's back with the group.

They are astonishing creatures.

Emesto has been through the wars.

But now he's reunited, he's going to be OK.

He's a real warrior,

living proof of just how resilient these remarkable little animals are.

Winter bites hard in the Kalahari Desert.

Swift is over two months old now.

Her exceptional family, the Whiskers, have taught her many of the tricks she'll need to survive.

With their help, she's successfully negotiated the most critical months of her life.

She's close to independence.

But she still has one more lesson to learn.

And this one has a sting in the tail!

Scorpions.

A meerkat's favourite feast.

It's a Michelin-starred meal, but it's dangerous.

There are species here with a sting potent enough to kill a human.

The adults develop a natural immunity to the venom.

But Swift hasn't built up this protection yet.

She could be seriously hurt.

She needs a lesson in the art of scorpion handling.

And, generous as ever, her wounded cousin Emesto

is on hand to help.

With a bite to the tail, he disarms the sting.

Then he hands it over for Swift to get to grips with it.

With a few more of these lessons,

it won't be long before she's deft enough to handle scorpions all by herself.

Swift's is a remarkable success story.

The odds were heavily stacked against her.

With the rains failing,

she and the other pups only had a 50/50 chance of surviving to two months old.

All four of them have made it.

They all defied the odds and they're all here and all thriving.

MEERKAT SOUNDS ALARM

Because of that.

Enili spotted danger. No chances. She's been such a good leader.

Enili has guided Swift and the rest of this group through real hardships.

The Kalahari is a harsh place to live.

And the meerkats here don't only just scratch a living,

they prosper and thrive because of team work.

Everyone has played their part.

The Kalahari breeds tough animals.

And no-one embodies that more than Emesto.

Struck in the face by a cobra.

And here he is now.

He's back with the group

and helping to raise these pups.

Enili's still young

and she's got a long reign ahead of her.

But when you look at Swift,

she's determined, characterful, driven.

I can't help thinking she's got all the attributes of a leader herself.

That feistiness, the determination.

And she is the most dominant. When they've war-danced, she's been at the front of it all.

Who knows? In three or four years' time,

Swift could be leading her own band of meerkats in this parched corner of Africa.

It's over four months since Toby left the Kalahari.

Enili's still the boss and will be for a while yet.

Emesto's scar is a constant reminder of how dangerous this desert can be.

But somehow, he's fully recovered, and even has his sight back in both eyes.

Sadly, one of the pups disappeared in June,

probably taken by a predator.

The other three are thriving.

Swift is now fully independent.

She's even tackled her first scorpion alone.

With winter now over,

the coming months should be a lot less challenging

for this brave little thing.

Her story continues.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd