Behind the Scenes at Meerkat Manor

Meerkat Manor tells the story of the Whiskers meerkat group and their neighbouring rivals, Meerkat Manor is an unusual ‘docudrama’ series based on the real lives of the charming meerkats at the KRC. Produced by Caroline Hawkins for Oxford Scientific Film, four successive 13-part series between 2004 and 2008 told the story of Flower, the dominant female of the Whiskers group and her family, and in 2021 a fifth series (Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty) picked up the life-stories of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

From a Dry to a Flooding River

During the summer of 2020-2021, the Kalahari saw incredible amounts of rainfall. This resulted in the first time the dry Kuruman River had flooded in 25 years, and the first time at such a height since 1975. It brought with it many challenges for the researchers and film crew alike.

Cut off by the river
As the river approached at a rate of 750m/hr, there was limited time for the team to be appropriately split across the two homesteads on each side of the river to allow the meerkat groups to be able to be continually studied, filmed, and for both homesteads to have sufficient supplies. Quick thinking, organisation, and an inflatable raft, ensured that life in the Kalahari could continue!

Enlighten the Unexplored Underground

Burrow cams are small infrared cameras that can be manoeuvred into the meerkat burrows. These are used with great care and prior habituation work to ensure the meerkats do not feel threatened by a novel object in their burrow that could risk pups being abandoned.

Challenges
Humidity is usually a rare issue in the semi-arid Kalahari, but when the wet summer season arrives, so does a higher level of humidity. This is especially the case in the more temperate conditions of the burrows, and therefore became an issue for the burrow cams. Letting them acclimatise and de-fog on their own allowed for the great insight into the underground lives of the meerkats.

Testimonials

Dale Hancock, Cameraman Oxford Scientific Films

"Working at KRC was without a doubt one of the more pleasant filming experiences of my last 28-plus years of filming. More and more I find locations less and less accommodating to wildlife film makers. Most locations are becoming overcrowded with the conflict of interests that comes from the typical multiple uses inherent in trying to please the various land uses of tourism, photographic safaris, private and public access, hunting and a seemingly endless pressures from external development and encroachment - all in all, the ever present pressure of more and more people wanting their piece of the pie, so to speak. Not true of KRC. As a Research Reserve first and foremost, the location is closed off from these pressures and the animals are only visited by limited researchers and of course, the "exclusive use" access granted to film crews. If it doesn't work for the animals, it doesn't happen. This little piece of the Kalahari truly is a proverbial piece of heaven. For the months we were immersed in the natural beauty of the desert we had carte blanche to pursue our passion and craft. And of course the meerkats are undeniably one of the most endeavouring subjects to work with as well. Being a long-term part of such a small and close-knit community that is the reserve and its volunteer researchers and management, we never lacked for anything. Accommodation was rustic, yet entirely sufficient to our technical needs and comfort. Meals provided on site were exceptional. And where necessary, the researchers went beyond anything we expected to allow us extra access to 'their' subjects if we needed the time to intrude just little longer than normal for the sake of story that was unfolding. Everyone seemed to know that in order to tell a captivating and dramatic story, we needed access to behavior as it unfolded on a daily and weekly basis. We were always treated like kings and we owe everything to all who worked on or off the reserve for the success the end product is testimony to. I would do it all again in a heartbeat!"

Shaylee Alderton, Film Crew Assistant

"Having grown up as a huge fan of the original Meerkat Manor series, I couldn't believe my luck when I was offered an opportunity to assist the film crew with Rise of the Dynasty . It was such a huge honor being involved with the teams and getting to see first-hand the time, equipment, effort, skill and sheer dedication required to run a long-term research project and create a wildlife series such as Meerkat Manor . We spent so many months in the field following the meerkats, come rain or shine (or once-every-few-decades-flood…), yet somehow it felt as though that time flew by in the blink of an eye. I have made so many great memories and friends thanks to my time at the Kalahari Research Centre. I am so grateful to everyone for their kindness, patience, passion and unending respect for the animals. Getting to work with so many like-minded people, each coming from different backgrounds and all corners of the world, was such an incredible experience. Lastly, I am of course grateful to the meerkats themselves for allowing us to observe and record their fascinating lives. There was never any way of knowing what the day would bring, and no matter how much time you spent with the meerkats they would always find a new way to surprise and amaze you. How lucky us humans are to get such intimate insight into the lives of wild animals in their natural habitat. I have no doubt that Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty will awe and inspire a new generation of wildlife enthusiasts, just as the series did for me all those years ago. I am sure in the years to come we will all still be hearing about the adventures and achievements of the many descendants of the famous meerkat matriarch, Flower."

Kalahari Meerkat Project Managers

"As field managers of the research carried out behind the scenes of Meerkat Manor , the opportunity to work with the team filming and producing such a well-loved and brilliant series was incredible. The film crews were excellent in respecting the animals and our research, and showed so much intrigue in even the smallest of behaviors they witnessed and filmed every day. Having a different perspective observing the meerkats was refreshing, allowing our daily work to be seen in a new light, and reminded us how special it is to study these charismatic animals in the wild so closely. The team shared joy and enthusiasm in our meerkat anecdotes – and of those observing them! At the Kalahari Research Centre, everyone on-site works closely together, including the film crew who became an integral part of the team for the many months they spent with us. Everyone was eager to keep them updated on interesting events unfolding across the 'Manor', and the film team returned that with many thanks and excitement over the footage they successfully captured. It was truly inspiring to have such a talented team of filmmakers on site that were happy to share their experiences, but it doesn't just stop with the field team; the production team back in the UK was also a delight to work with. Through the many hours they spent closely editing the footage, they also became attached to the meerkats that were followed, and remain in contact for updates on all of their favorites. Furthermore, they were always looking to stay true to the meerkats and their stories', ensuring narration was scientifically correct and matching with our data. It was certainly a great experience for us all and will remain a highlight of working in the Kalahari."

KMP Managers:
Zoe Turner (pictured and testimonial author)
Jessica Granweiler
Chloë Farrington
Leon Kotze

Watch the Trailer