Hoekom ‘n navorsingsprojek oor meerkaaie?, Seg 1 - PRONTUIT

Vir meeste van ons is meerkaaie oulike diertjies wat soggens in die son baai. Die diertjies is egter so interessant dat daar al vir byna 30 jaar lank navorsing gedoen word oor die diere op ‘n plaas in ‘n afgeleë deel van die Kalahari. Die universiteite van Cambridge en Zurich het in 1993 begin met navorsing op meerkaaie naby Van Zylsrus. Tydens die navorsing is bykans 5000 meerkaaie gevolg van geboorte tot dood. Professor Tim Clutton-Brock van Cambridge, is die pionier wat met die navorsing begin het en steeds by die wêreldklas-projek betrokke is. Benewens meerkaaie word navorsing op vaalmolle, of te wel, mole-rats. To most people meerkats are cute animals that enjoy a morning bask in the sun. These little animals are however of such scientific importance and interest that almost three decades worth of research has been conducted on these animals on a remote farm in the Kalahari. Cambridge University as well as the University of Zurich started with this research in 1993 close to Van Zylsrus. Spanning this research period more than 5000 meerkats have been followed from their birth to their deaths. Professor Tim Clutton-Brock of Cambridge has been the pioneer of this research project and has continued his involvement with this world-class research project . Research is also conducted on mole-rats.