THESE cuddly new arrivals are proving popular with Knowsley Safari Park meerkat fans.



The tiny mammals have recently shot up the park's popularity charts thanks to the antics of Aleksandr, star of a current TV commercial, and programmes like Meerkat Manor.

The meerkats are even challenging Knowsley?s infamous baboons in terms of popularity.

There are now two separate breeding groups who have produced nine pups, or kits, between them in recent weeks, increasing the Knowsley mob to 26.

Safari Park general manager David Ross said: ?Our visitors are exhibiting all the signs of meerkat mania at the moment - you can frequently see groups of people standing by their enclosure singing along to the Compare the Meerkat jingle.



?We?ve also got children asking our keepers which meerkat is Aleksandr, and visitors of all ages are doing impressions of him in that strange Eastern European type accent.?

Meerkats are part of the mongoose family and hail from the Kalahari Desert.

They are very territorial, and fiercely defend their home patch.

Liverpool Echo