| Original Headline: S.W.A. Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft. Astronomische Safari vom 16. April bis 19. April 1977 |
| Detailed description: Pictures of meerkats, The meerkat is a small diurnal herpestid (mongoose) weighing on average about 731 grams (1.61 lb) for males and 720 grams (1.6 lb) for females. Its long slender body and limbs give it a body length of 25 to 35 centimetres (9.8 to 14 in) and an added tail length of 17 to 25 centimetres (6.7 to 9.8 in). Its tail is not bushy like all other mongoose species, but is rather long and thin and tapers to a black or reddish colored pointed tip. The meerkat uses its tail to balance when standing upright. Its face tapers, coming to a point at the nose, which is brown. The eyes always have black patches around them and it has small black crescent-shaped ears that can close to exclude soil when digging. Like cats, meerkats have binocular vision, a large peripheral range, depth perception, and eyes on the front of their faces, At the end of each of a meerkat's "fingers" is a non-retractable, strong, 2 centimetres (0.79 in) long, curved claw used for digging burrows and digging for prey. Claws are also used with muscular hindlegs to help climb trees. They have four toes on each foot and long slender limbs. The coat is usually fawn-colored peppered with gray, tan, or brown with a silver tint. They have short parallel stripes across their backs, extending from the base of the tail to the shoulders. The patterns of stripes are unique to each meerkat. The underside of the meerkat has no markings, but the belly has a patch which is only sparsely covered with hair and shows the black skin underneath. The meerkat uses this area to absorb heat while standing on its rear legs, usually early in the morning after cold desert nights. (Wikipedia) |
| Remarks: Route: Windhoek - Otjiwarongo - Okaukuejo - Halali - Namutoni - Windhoek |
| Date: 18 April 1977 |
| Remarks on Dating: From cover |
| Organisations: Namibia Scientific Society |
| Photographer: Ottilie Nitzsche-Reiter |
| Medium: Image |
| Colour: Col. |
| File format: Electronic image |
| Copyright holder: NAN |
| Acknowledge: NAN |
| Contributing institution: Namibia University of Science and Technology |
| Custody: NAN |
| Local keywords: Meerkats, Suricates |
| Species keywords: Suricata suricatta |
| Photo No: S.W.A. Wiss Ges 11-77 |
| Version: 35 mm negative |
| Type: Electronic image |
| Source: 35 mm |
| Date digitised: June 2011 |
| Collection name: ONR Collection |
| Date added: 06-28-2011 |
| Data capturer: RM |
| Metadata entry tool: ISIS |
| Digitisation specs: JPEG for display. Archives TIFF image was scanned at 1200 dpi with Epson Expression 10000 XL scanner. 24 bit colour. 35 mm negative |
| File name: ONR_NEG_NSC_img_037810.jpg |