Meerkat escapes petting zoo in England
Jan. 11 (UPI) -- Officials with a petting zoo in England are warning the public about a meerkat on the loose in the area.
Reddish Vale Farm in Stockport, near Manchester, said the male meerkat escaped overnight and is believed to be wandering somewhere in the Reddish Vale Country Park.
The farm said in a Facebook post that although meerkats are "very friendly, they can bite if feeling threatened."
Jordan Beckwith, the farm's manager, said the meerkat escaped through a drain hole during maintenance work.
"We've been looking for him in the burrows and we've had the meerkat barking sound on and put out food to try and entice him back," Beckwith told the BBC.
He said the Africa-native animal, one of three males living at the farm, might be on the hunt for a mate.
"They are big herd animals and they like to have big groups and colonies and there are usually three minimum," he said.
