History & Organisation

1993

Tim Clutton-Brock and assistants from the University of Pretoria start habituating meerkats and collecting data in the Kalahari at Nossob in the Gemsbok National Park (Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park) and at Rus und Vrede close to Van Zylsrus.

1995

Systematic data collection on meerkat started.

Marta Manser joins the meerkat project as a PhD student in Janaury, working both in the Gemsbok National Park and at Rus en Vrede.

At the Gemsbok National Park, David Gaynor and Ruth Kansky become the field managers of the meerkat project.

Kuruman River flowed in March. Gradual increase in habituated meerkat groups at Rus en Vrede.

First volunteer joined the project.


Photo: Zoe Turner

1996

At Rus en Vrede, Whiskers group started with animals from Lazuli and Young Ones.

1999

Meerkat research in the Gemsbok National Park terminated. 

2000

Kalahari Research Trust established with Tim Clutton-Brock as Secretary and three trustees.

2001

Gannavlakte Farm (GV) and parts of Rus en Vrede (RV) (total area 3,250 Ha) purchased with funding raised by Tim Clutton-Brock. Renamed as the Kuruman River Reserve.

Kalahari Research Centre (KRC) established. 

GV sponsored by Earthwatch. New accommodation built, boundary fence heightened and water holes and supply improved.

Alien vegetation removal begun with the aim of ensuring the protection and conservation of the native Kalahari ecosystem. 

Internal fences removed and domestic stock species replaced by red hartebeest, gemsbok, springbok, wildebeest, and eland.  

Members of the local community employed to assist with work at the Kalahari Research Centre.   

Earthwatch groups begin visits to work on meerkats.   

2002

"Life of Mammals" with Sir David Attenborough filmed by the BBC with footage from the KRR. 

2003

The Southern Pied Babbler project began by Amanda Ridley.

2005

"Meerkat Manor" programmes initiated by Caroline Hawkins at Oxford Scientific Films, began filming and continued until 2008 due to its phenomenal worldwide success following the group Whiskers and their matriarch, Flower.

Photo: Amanda Ridley

2007

Friends of the Kalahari Meerkat project (FKMP) supporters’ group started by Evi Zehntner.  Friends’ groups visit the KRC at intervals. Regular Friends Newsletter sent out to exchange meerkat information for membership to the FKMP.

2008

Release of "Meerkat Manor: The Story Begins", a prequel to Meerkat Manor, created by Oxford Scientific Films for Discovery Films.

A Meerkat Manor spin-off, "Ella: A Meerkat’s Tale" produced by Oxford Scientific Films.  

2009

Fork-tailed Drongo project began by Tom Flower.

Outreach with local communities. Dave Gaynor becomes the Reserve Manager at the KRC.  

Photo: Héctor Ruiz
Photo: Héctor Ruiz

2011

The Cape Ground Squirrel project began with Jamie Samson as the first Project Manager and PhD student.

2013

New funding for meerkat and mole-rat research begins from a European Research Council grant to Tim Clutton-Brock, University of Cambridge.

Damaraland Mole-Rat Project started by Tim Clutton-Brock involving Dave Gaynor, Markus Zöttl, Philippe Vullioud and Jack Thorley. Regular captures and marking of wild mole-rat colonies begins.

Mole-Rat House built to house 50 colonies with laboratory facilities.   

Photo: Livio Flüeler


Studies of the Southern Yellow-Billed Hornbill began by Tanja van de Ven, Susie Cunningham and Andrew McKechnie.

As part of the BBC “Africa” series, both meerkats and drongos were filmed by the BBC Studios Natural History Unit for a Kalahari-based episode. 

“Meerkats – Secrets of an Animal Superstar”, filmed by the BBC with Sir David Attenborough, showcases the long running meerkat field study at the KRC.

2014

Bat-Eared Foxes: Aliza le Roux begins her work.

2015

FKMP “The Meerkatter” newsletter started. Written by the Life History Coordinator volunteer at the meerkat project, this regular magazine style newsletter provides articles and reports on the data collected each month.

Photo: Héctor Ruiz
Photo: Catherine Carr (insert: Jakob Christensen Dalsgaard)

2016

Responsibility for the KRT transferred from University of Cambridge to University of Zurich and Marta Manser replaces Tim Clutton-Brock as Secretary to the Trustees.

MAVA Foundation to support the maintenance of the KRC.

Tim Vink became Reserve Manager.

2018

Barking Gecko research began by Catherine Carr.

2019

Walter Jubber became Reserve Manager.  

2020

“Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty” filmed by Caroline Hawkins and her team at Oxford Scientific, for BBC America and Channel 5 in the UK.