Surprise meerkat pups welcomed at Tropical World

Parents Soya Bean and Jay-Z welcomed their pups into the world on 21 April and while they would normally still be resting in their nestbox, the new mum has been showing them off to visitors at Tropical World.

Eleven-year-old Soya Bean is part of the original 'mob' of meerkats at Tropical World. She previously gave birth to two male pups in 2020, called Jelly Bean and Lima Bean.

The new father, Jay-Z, is five years old and came to Tropical World from Flamingo Land in 2022 as a potential mate for Soya Bean.

Keepers at Tropical World had suspected that Soya Bean was expecting and had booked her in for an ultrasound. However, a few days before the appointment, she surprised them with the two young pups in the nestbox. 

The new arrivals have no names yet but will also be named after a bean, sticking with family tradition.

After a pregnancy of 11 weeks, a meerkat’s litter is typically made up of two to five pups. Born blind and without fur the pups need a few weeks being cared for by the parents before they’re strong enough to leave the burrow.

Tropical World has recently launched a meerkat adoption project, where visitors can adopt an animal for a year, to support their upkeep and the vital conservation projects that Tropical World is a part of.

Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, said: “It is always exciting to welcome new arrivals to our zoos and I’m pleased that the meerkat family is doing well.  

“Tropical World has much to offer and is a great place to educate yourself about all the different species and the important conservation work that the zoo facilitates.

“Visitors exploring the zoo can learn about the incredible animals and the threats which are affecting their populations in the wild. The zoo and its staff play an important part in protecting vulnerable species.”

Read more about Tropical World at https://tropicalworld.leeds.gov.uk/.

ENDS