FEBRUARY 1    2008

from Flowermozartfan 2/1/0 9:30 pm

For 100 As of Dec. 2007, who now has the eastern most territory range?

For 100 Who are the Commandos?

For 200 How much rain fell in the Kalahari in January?

For 200 What is 2.29in./5.8 cm?(Tosca, You got it!)

For 300 Which meerkats have been given today as their birthday?

For 300 Who is the group born right after Flower passed away...Burdock(VWF115), Rhogan Josh(VWM116), Amira(VWF117), Squig(VWF118), Cheriqui(VWF119), Rufus(VWM120), Etosha(VWM121) and Murray(VWM122)? I gave full credit if you said only the 6 on the current name list.

For 400 What is the standard sequence for pup identification marks?

For 400 What is TB(tail base), RT(right thigh), LT(left thigh), RS(right shoulder), LS(left shoulder), MB(single dab on mid back), SH(shoulders), RR(right rib), LB(left rib), T(tail), TBL(tail base longline), MBL(mid back line from left to right) and H(head)? I wonder why TB is on the list twice on FKMP?

***************************************************************************************************

FEBRUARY 2 2008

from cordeekat 2/2/08 9:56 pm

For 100 What group had been encountered as a wild group in the vicinity of the Gannavlakte farm house from 1994 until they were habituated by researchers in 2001?

Who is the Balrog group?

For 200 According to African popular belief, the meerkat is also known as the Sun Angel, as it protects villages from this?

What is the moon devil or werewolf?

For 300 On this date, DF Pronker opened the second Quirkie Jeopardy practice burrow/thread?

What is 5/28/07?

For 400 Which meerkat is described as "He man"?

Who is VBM066 Champ? on the Balrog name list

For 500 Who was and what happened to the meerkat known as "Blossom" on Meerkat Manor?

Who is Sundance, who disappeared at about 2 months old and her fate is unknown?

as per a post by Pronker on AP MM site

**********************************************************************************************

FEBRUARY 3 2008

from GrumpyQueenof Moomins 2/3/08 9:22 pm

For 100, This sport is very popular among KMP volunteers and researchers, and they have a special area set up to play it.

What is volleyball?

For 200, Hindu Floaty Thing Vivian gets her name from a quote in this movie.

What is Grizzly Man? (I saw this on AP recently. Very disturbing and graphic in parts, but if you can tolerate that kind of thing, it's a very interesting and thought-provoking film.)

For 300, Besides Grumpy, this meerkat has also been referred to as having pig-like characteristics.

Who is Luella "Looks like a piggy" Balrog?

For 400, This meerkat shares his/her name with a coral reef.

Who is Ningaloo Whiskers-Kung Fu? (The reef is off the western coast of Australia.)

For 500, One or more pups survive to emergence in ____ percent of ^{litters born to subordinate females if the dominant female is pregnant at that time.}

What is 15%? (Not a particularly happy meerkat fact, but an interesting and important one nonetheless.)

The answer to question 500 can be found here: http://westgroup.icapb.ed.ac.uk/teach/social/Clutton-Brock_etal_01.pdf

*************************************************************************

FEBRUARY 4      2008

from ZoomgHyena 2/4/08 10:14 pm

FEBRUARY 5 2008

from Jtutton99 2/5/08 9:31 pm

For 100 - What year did TCB (Tim Clutton-Brock) start studying the red deer?

1972

For 200 - Name the KMP's (Kalahari Meerkat Project) DM's DF and what is she famous for?

Dalfia Scott, wildlife artist or painter.

For 300 - What does TCB suggest that successful scientists commonly are?

Juvenile and childish

For 400 - According to Alex Thornton, teaching in meerkats is governed by [what]?

simple responses to changes in pup begging calls with age and does not require complex cognition

For 500 - According to the December names list, which natal group is best represented, which one is second, and which one is third? (since it's hard to tell, include those that may have been wild and immigrated into that group, not just those born in that group)

I meant which groups had the most members in the list regardless of where they are right now.

****************************************************************************

FEBRUARY 6 2008

from cordeekat 2/6/08 9:09 pm

Tosca, thought I read a post that said Topkat's puter was not working, but now I can't find it. lol

Tonight's answers:

For 100 Observation data are entered into a _____ handheld device by researchers while they visit meerkat groups.

What is Psion? Also accepted GPS.

For 200 What life history acronym means "fight for dominance"?

What is DOMBID?

For 300 Which Young Ones meerkat was seen roving on 13-Mar-04?

Who is VYM073 Aragorn?

For 400 On the December 2007 life history report, how many pups are listed?

What is 12?

For 500 On the most current namelist, who is the oldest meerkat?

Who is VVM032 Zaphod? And yes, he is the man!!

*************************************************************************

FEBRUARY 7 2008

from Flowermozartfan 2/7/08 9:20 pm

For 100 According to the December 2007 name list, who is the oldest subordinate female?

For 100 Who is Little My Moomin (12/9/2002)?

For 200 According to the December 2007 name list, who is the oldest subordinate male?

For 300 Subordinate females under 2 years old were more likely to breed than ____?

For 300 What is older subordinates?

For 400 Subordinate breeding was common when rainfall was _____ than for _____ or ______?

For 400 What is 0-50mm, 51-100mm or > 100 mm? (Got some of you here...3 spaces need 3 answers. I gave partial credit for this one)

For 500 It is estimated that prospecting subordinates sire ____ of all young in the population?

For 500 What is 20-25%?

*******************************************************************************

FEBRUARY 8 2008

from Kathyh3 2/08/08 9:22 pm

FEBRUARY 9 2008

from Flowermozartfan 2/09/08 9:33 pm

For 100 Both sexes of meerkats approach adult weight and foraging success by when?

For 100 What is by the middle of their second year of life?

For 200 How long does it take a meerkat to dig a hole big enough to disappear into?

For 200 What is about one minute?

For 300 How many species of spiders are you likely to come in contact with as an EARTHWATCHER? Name them

For 300 What is 3- brown widow, black widow and sac spider? (This was a quote from the Earthwatcher Data Collection Protocol. I gave credit for the others too)

For 400 Earthwatchers aid in environmental education of the children at Vanzylsrus by giving exposure to what?

For 400 What is foreign countries and wildlife and the different animals in their own country; supply with teaching aids such as posters, books and magazines? (Ratties, this is a quote from the Earthwatchers Field Guide.)

For 500 What is Tim Clutton-Brock's favorite word?

For 500 What is WHY? (This is from an article in National Geographic that Jane used the other day. Here is the link: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0209/feature3/online_extra.html )

*******************************************************************************

FEBRUARY 10, 2008

from Kathyh3 2/10/08 9:42 pm

500: Study results support the idea that conflict between dominant and subordinate females ___________ with the age of subordinates and, since __________ subordinate females are most likely to reproduce, suggest that dominant females may _____ ______ control reproductive attempts by ________ subordiFnate females.

FEBRUARY 11 2008

from Topkat170 2/22/08 9:10 pm

For 100, what percentage of a meerkat's diet consists of millipedes?

. 3%

for 200, what was the first meerkat fact posted in the Holidaze Retreat burrow?

11/25during the burow warming party)

For 400, what do meerkat pups (less than 3 months old) usually do when they hear an alarm call?

. before reaching independence at 3 months of age young meerkats commonly run immediately to a nearby individual when hearing an alarm call

Buenas tardes, Quirkies, honored guests, and honorary Quirkies! Here are today's questions. . .

For 100, This evicted ladykat was the most persistent in trying to rejoin her group in January 2008.

Who is Ella Whiskers (VWF095)?

For 200, The longest time an LSEEN meerkat was away before being observed at the KMP again is _____ months.

What is 10 months?

For 300, This kat is named after a sketch comedy show character who is a "lady," and "likes to do ladies' things."

Who is Emily Howard Vivian (VVM 111)? (The show is Little Britain, and like the kat, the character is. . .not biologically female. )

For 400, Mae and Gracie's zoo diet consists of these food items.

What are dry cat food, insects, ground meat, and vegetables daily, and a rib bone, hard-boiled eggs, whole mice, or extra insects on a rotating basis for variety?

For 500, It is thought that males increase the amount of time they spend as sentinels shortly before they disperse because ______________.

What is because while being a sentinel, not only can they scan for predators, but for ladykats in other groups or in dispersing parties?

Who Am I?

For 100 - I was a long time dominant of the Vivian and an original Young Ones born on Nov. 11, 1999. I would need a blue tag on my mirror if I could drive and I was LSEEN April 2007.

For 200 - I was born in the last century and am one of the biggest kats in the study area. I have a rather "unique" brother and we swapped places as dominant a few times before he moved on. AP has rather embarrassing footage of me while I was foraging on ants.

For 300 - I was born December 15, 2005 to a "laid back" mob. I have a fan club and was the small target of a rescue operation. I would want to visit a salon if I cold to look more like other meerkats.

For 400 - I was born between Jan. 25 and Feb. 1 last year. I don't share my food even if my mom or larger siblings want it. I gave birth to my first litter in January even though I'm not a dominant.

For 500 - We were born 8/15/2005. We are trying to replace JD (Carlos) and Stinker by roving a lot. We have to continue roving now since we have no home to return to. Our older brother is DM of Elveera

*******************************************************************************

FEBRUARY 15 2008

from Topkat170 2/15/08 9:12 pm