Meerkat Manor

[roses4me]

Is anyone watching this on Animal Planet? It's great. It's on Fridays, 5:30 Pacfic Time. It has loads of reruns during the week.

I looked for this thread, but I didn't see it.


Here's the link for the show: Animal Planet :: Meerkat Manor

If you've never seen it, you can read the episode recaps for the previous seasons.

This is more than another animal show, it has drama that daytime soaps would envy.

Enjoy!

[Nemeses]

I try to catch it when I remember it, which unfortunately isn't all that often. I caught it more last season than this one, though. It's a very cute show, and a great name for a show, too. A very original concept, and very well done. I applaud Animal Planet for this show.

[Marleybone]

I keep meaning to watch this because the commercials for it are hilarious and so cute.

[bbnbama]

I've caught it a couple of times and it really is an interesting show...I happened to find this news article tonight...its rather lengthy but here's a snippet of it...

Flower, the leader of the central gang of meerkats that is the focus of Animal Planet's documentary cum soap opera Meerkat Manor, died in February during filming of the show's third season after being bitten by a cobra. She was six.

Friday's episode of the hit series, "A Journey's End," featured the events leading up to Flower's untimely death, which occurred during yet another meerkat struggle for survival in South Africa's Kalahari Desert—an inevitable part of the frequently compelling, albeit furry and adorable, drama that has made Meerkat Manor Animal Planet's number-one show.

"Flower's courage and strength in life was mirrored in her passing," said senior executive producer Mick Kaczorowski. "Viewer and fans have become attached to Flower because she exemplified the qualities of a true hero and a veritable leader."

According to Kaczorowski, Flower was buried onsite in a market grave by the Cambridge University scientists who preside over the Kalahari Meerkat Project.

Link Here

[PenguinMom]

I've watched Meerkat Manor from the beginning. We love it. It has heart ache in some shows. Tonight's show certainly was difficult to watch. We knew that Flower had died in Feb. and that this show would be THE ONE.

I think the producers did a good job with the show tonight. It is "life and death". Flower will be missed though.

[gemgirlco.com]

It was very sad. I could hardly watch. She passed away bravely, defending her pups.

[bbnbama]

I've caught bits and pieces of the show before. The one full episode I watched (and forgive me because I don't remember their names) but a female was pregnant and she was basically an outsider to the rest of the group. She gave birth and while she went out to look for food one of the males in the group went back to the den and ate the babies. The little mom came back and couldn't find her little ones and she stood up on her hind legs and made the most pitiful sounds trying to find them.....

It tore my heart out and was so pitiful....

[roses4me]

Bbnbama, that was Mozart who had her pups eaten. It was her half-sister, Kinkajou who ate them in an attempt to seal her place as the alpha female. hey were ousted by their mom, Flower, when they became pregnant. Getting ousted is a common occurence with meerkats. Females run the mob of meerkats. Yeah!

I've watched the show since the beginning, too, and it's the best thing on TV. I'm surprised it hasn't been nominated for any Emmys. Perhaps after the series is finished, the show will receive a special acheivement award.'

The show is being taped by a group of scientists from Cambridge University in England. It's a ten-year project.

After Flower died, she was buried by the scientists. They admit crying, too, when that happened. The next few episodes show the power struggle that ensues to become the next alpha female. (The meerkat portion of the Staten Island zoo is being dedicated to Flower).

If anyone wants to watch previous episodes, they're online via the link I posted above. The first season was great as we were introduced to Shakespeare, a helpful male meerkat in this gang who was Mr. Reliable. He died, apparently, from protecting a litter of pups from a rival gang. West Side Story has nothing on this show!

I'll be back for next Friday's episode. Enjoy the website, too, it's great for kids and adults.

[PK...]

That is so sad - I read the news article this morning...

I attempted respond at that time, but I was too choked up... (And I will have to make this fast, or I will crumble again...)

I started watching this season, but found it just too heartbreaking to bear early on, and took it off my DVR... That is simply too much reality for me... I don't need to look for things that make me cry... <sniff>

[roses4me]

This week's episode found one of Flower's daughters, named Rocket Dog, taking over the manor. She's not such a great alpha meerkat so far. The next few episodes should tell us if she's a keeper.

Axel was following Mitch around and was imitating him on lookout. He was the first meerkat to notice his former family in the distance. Since he's so young, he didn't know he had to sound the alarm. Axel is so cute, as are all babies.

At the end of the episode, all is well, but trouble ensues.