The Ulm Zoo has expanded its meerkat group: on 31 October 2026, the female Zuri and the male Tucker moved from Worms to the Friedrichsau Zoo. Both now share the outdoor enclosure with the meerkat Jackwho lives in Ulm. According to the zoo, the aim of the transfer is to stabilise the group and make breeding success possible again in the long term.
According to the zoo management, the introduction has so far gone smoothly. Zoo director Stefanie Kießling describes it as a typical settling-in period: the animals are alert, sniff one another, mark their territory and re-establish their roles. No overt aggression has been observed so far. Visitors can see the meerkats in the outdoor enclosure; staff ask them to behave quietly by the fence and respect the animals’ rest periods, allowing the new group dynamic to settle.
Hopes for future breeding are focused above all on a possible pairing of Zuri and Jack. The zoo says there is no concrete evidence of courtship behaviour yet. Meerkats live in social groups with a clear division of responsibilities; stable structures are considered essential for pair bonds to develop and young to be raised successfully.
The transfer of animals between zoos is part of well-established cooperation in Germany. Such transfers help balance groups, prevent inbreeding and improve animal welfare. Ulm and Worms work closely together on this. The latest move was planned to achieve a balanced mix of animals and roles in the group and improve the chances of offspring in the medium term.
The meerkat enclosure at Friedrichsau in Ulm is open to the public, although the animals sometimes stay indoors depending on the weather. The zoo plans to monitor the development of the trio closely over the coming weeks and adjust its management if necessary. Only once social behaviour, hierarchy and pair bonds have become established will it be possible to judge reliably whether the group composition will work in the long term.
Ulm Zoo says its observations are continually updated. Findings from the first few weeks after the move should show how Zuri, Tucker and Jack are adjusting to one another. Until then, calm, routine and sufficient places to retreat are the most important factors in helping the animals settle in Ulm and establish a shared daily routine.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).