How do you catch two meerkats in Dundee? Simples!
THEY are more commonly found in desert areas of southern Africa or insurance marketing campaigns.
However, Scottish SPCA staff were baffled by two meerkats after the animals were spotted wandering the streets of Dundee.
Rescuers who collected the stray creatures checked with a local wildlife park, but all its meerkats were safely accounted for.
It is now thought the animals, which were spotted on South Road, Dundee, on Friday and Saturday, may have been kept locally as exotic pets.
It is thought to be the first time the Scottish SPCA has had to rescue a meerkat.
The species is a member of the mongoose family, whose prefered habitat includes dry, open areas and sparse woody scrub in its native southern Africa.
Scottish SPCA senior animal rescue officer Ben Soutar said: ‘It was certainly a very unusual rescue; I’ve never been called to rescue a meerkat before.
‘We checked with Camperdown Wildlife Park but all their meerkats were accounted for, so it’s a bit of a mystery as to where these two have come from. Both animals appeared quite tame, although they weren’t too happy about being picked up.
‘Due to how comfortable they are around humans it’s possible they have been kept as pets at some point.
‘As with all exotic wild animals, we wouldn’t recommend people keep animals like meerkats as pets as they have specialist needs that would be very hard for the average member of the public to replicate in a home environment.’
Mr Soutar added: ‘Both animals are now safe in the care of Camperdown Wildlife
Park while we try to determine how they came to be in this situation.’
The latest bizarre sighting comes after a 14-foot snake was found on a street in Greenock, Renfrewshire, last month. The Burmese python was found by contractors for housing association River Clyde Homes.
It was taken to a vet but died as a result of having been outside in freezing temperatures. Police Scotland later confirmed the owner of the snake had been traced and said no criminal charges were pending.
Under current legislation, anyone in Britain can keep a dangerous wild animal as long as they obtain a licence from their local authority. Applicants must show their animals are properly contained to prevent escape.
A previous report by charity Born Free revealed 57 per cent of licensed high street pet shops in the UK sold one or more species of wild animal.
Earlier this year a seperate survey found a total of 210 dangerous wild animal licences have been granted to keep 3,951 creatures including 11 lions, eight tigers, 11 leopards, ten cheetahs and two elephants.