Tasmania Zoo’s meerkat couple celebrate pups’ birthday

Tasmania Zoo celebrated two holidays this December – Christmas and the one-month birthday for its youngest furry members. Watch.

Tasmania Zoo was busy celebrating two occasions this festive season – Christmas Day for its animals and the one-month birthday of its meerkat pups.

The two pups, still too young to be sexed, were born in late November to five-year-old father Gilligan and two-year-old mother Rose – a first time mother to pups.

Tasmania Zoo's meerkat pups celebrated their one-month birthday on Christmas Eve, pictured with their parents Rose and Gilligan. Picture: Chloe Koch

The meerkat pups are part of two breeding groups at Tasmania Zoo, which keepers say are a popular animal with visitors.

Two male meerkats are paired with two females each, allowing for the couple’s to pair as needed and keeping Tasmania’s meerkat population strong.

Mother Rose was also born through Tasmania Zoo’s breeding program and has created an “immense sense of pride” for keepers in seeing her now raise her own pups.

Meerkat keeper Chloe Koch said the pups have only just started interacting with keepers and the world outside of their den.

Tasmania Zoo's meerkat pups celebrated their one-month birthday on Christmas Eve, pictured with their parents Rose and Gilligan. Picture: Chloe Koch

“We are starting to gain more trust with the parents and pups and once we have established closer ties with them, we’ll be able to determine their sex and finally name them,” she said.

“Once they’re really confident, they can start to join our animal encounters and feeding times with the public.”

The adorable babies will soon develop a “larger-than-life” personality according to Ms Koch, who said their big characters are part of the reason why visitors enjoy the one-on-one sessions with the animals.