Your Daily Photo (The Merest of Kats Edition)

I guess it's old Zoo photos week here at Immodest Proposals. Just haven't been in the posting photos to Flickr mood, lately.

I can't imagine it's easy being a captive meerkat. It's in their nature to keep vigil over their community, and their display at the LA Zoo near the entrance with a constant stream of, what must seem to them, possible threat.

On the one hand, they must realize humans probably mean them no harm, but on the other hand, all those humans trundling by might mask the approach of something more hostile.

I bet the zookeepers lace the meerkat's feed with a touch of Xanax to keep them from being in constant terror, or maybe they appreciate the chance to hone their surveillance skills and enjoy the tension.

Never assume animal pyschology is in any meaningful way like ours, even if some of their behaviors resemble our own, doesn't mean their reaction to similar situations are also similar. Hard not to, though, make certain assumptions, especially with other social mammals.