"Step Aside, Julia Child"



"Meerkats are the first known mammals to use active teaching to make sure their pups learn survival skills.

"Other creatures encourage their young to learn by watching.

"But a meerkat will take a live scorpion home to hungry pups, and insist that the youngsters pay attention to a live demonstration, then practice on their own.

"The secret to killing a scorpion lies in first biting off the stinger, then dragging the scorpion's body across the sand to remove drops of poison.

"It's a good thing mother meerkats take the job of teaching the young seriously.

"A scorpion meal is one that can bite back."

O.K.!

Personally, for me, recalling my time as a laborer working in what zoos call The Small Animal House, it would be a toss - up as to which was my all - time favorite among small zoo critters: the Ring Tailed Lemurs from Madagascar, or the South African Meerkats.

I've very fond memories of both, you bet!

PS -- And while the Sea Lion - feeding detail came with this po - si - tion, folks those critters ain't what I'd call small! :)