Sep
14
The week has been long. I’m pretty tired and beat down from both external and internal forces, but it’s Friday night, so it’s time to fire up the music box and dance monkey dance as we join together and watch another episode of Meerkat Manor.
Last episode was a mega downer. After giving birth to two pups, Flower and Zaphod took a contingency of 20 Whiskers and R-U-N-N-O-F-T on the rest of the Whiskers gang, leaving Rocket Dog behind as de facto dominant female. Left holding the bag (that bag being Len and Squiggy, Flower’s latest litter of pups), Rocket Dog had to deal with slim pickings of food and roving Zappa males during the dry season. After losing Len to a bird, Squiggy was abandoned in the desert. (Full recap of episode 5 can be found here)
Episode 6: Sibling Rivalry
- Open on an ugly tree at morning. The Zappas are up and at em this morning. Lola, their dominant female has gone missing. Frank & Lola have been leading the Zappas for three years, but Frank is a bit anxious due to her absense. Punk, Lola’s younger sister, tries to fill in her big sis’s shoes, but no one seems to be giving her the respect of a dominant female.
- Lola! lo-lo-lo-lo Lola! Aw, she’s been bit by a Puff Adder. She’s been holed up in a bolthole the past two days trying to recover from the venom. She’s not looking so well. By herself she’s got slim to nil chance of survival, so she needs to make it back home, but her long slow walk is painful.
- Over at the Whiskers burrow, a Zappa male is knocking at the door. Oh no, not knocking, he’s just waltzing on in. You sly dog you. But apparently the Whisker’s have already left for the morning, off for some breakfast. Rocket Dog now has a dominant collar.
- Lo-lo-lo-lo Lola is still inching her way back home, wary of predators. The burrow is in sight, almost there. Her lil sis Punk has Lola in her sights. A weakened Lola would be an easy fight to claim dominance of the Zappa. She sits peering with evil in her thoughts as the commercial break closes in.
- Sensing her moment, Punk closes in and starts chin swiping and anal marking (anal marking?) Lola, and in her weakened state Lola can do nothing but take it. The queen has been dethroned, long live the queen! Now when Punk says jump, the clan listens. The family leaves Lola at the burrow. This isn’t exactly the return she expected.
- Houdini is half a mile a way and has caught up to the Whiskers. The ladies are all a flutter. Sensing his Romeo welcome, he charges right in. But the males of the Whisker clan are on to him, and stand tall to defend the honor of their wimmenfolk. As he closes in, the men pounce, but he’s gone in the shadows, poof!
- The Zappas are back home after foraging, watching the sun go down. Two members are away from the group, Punk and Frank. Grooming, as the kids call it these days. Lo-lo-lo-lo-Lola is off in a bolthole, again, sensing that her presence with the family may no longer be welcome. Chances of survival are slim.
(Ominous commercials of the Sept 28th episode. Um, they aren’t even trying to keep that a secret anymore, are they?)
- Up at the Zappa burrow, one week later. Punk is still in charge, wearing a shiny new collar as dominant female. Lola is still hanging around (rookie dom mistake by Punk perhaps?). The family is still adjusting to the new boss while the old boss is still hanging around. Apparently Punk has a more aggressive style of foraging. She’s been pushing deeper into Whisker territory, foraging hit and run tactics that are lifting the spirits (and filling the bellies) of the Zappas.
- Back at the burrow later, the Zappas are celebrating with some grooming. Punk is holding Lola’s head down (Kneel! Kneel before Zod!). She’s after Frank now, and all Lola can do is watch Punk take her man.
- But someone’s on his way back to the burrow. Ah Houdini, sly dog! The rest of the clan get to grooming him. With his brother Houdini around, Frank’s place is now in question. Frank rushes in and tries to show dominance over Houdini, and Houdini’s all like “nu-uh! Frank’s all like uh-huh! But Houdini’s all hopped up on testosterone after bedding down multiple Whiskers females, and Houdini proves to be the beau that puts the sparkle in Punk’s eye. How about that, a double dominant switch! Houdini runs Frank off from his own clan, then returns to the spoils of victory. Poor Frank, off on his own now.
- Next day, the Zappas are foraging in Whiskerville again. This time, Houdini is on guard, watching out for the Whiskers and roving males. Lola has accepted her position as subordinate female. Seeing her sister chomping on a millepede, just two weeks ago she would’ve taken it from her. The Zappas have come out of their dual leadership coupe wonderfully with aggressive Punk brazenly leading them into better foraging grounds with Houdini at her side. There’ll be no one to stop us this time! Mwa-hahahaha!
Finally, an episode break from the death that seems to be dominating season 3 of Meerkat Manor. Punk seized her opportunity perfectly, taking advantage of weakened Lola. But did she make a rookie mistake by not banishing her sister/former dominant female from the group? When Lola is back to 100% will she still be satisfied with second banana? Time will tell. As always, the comments are open to discussion on this episode.
(Episode 7 recap can be found here)
Next week the return of Hannibal! Evil!
I found a short video on Animal Planet called Meerkat Manor: Life As It Happens. I think it would be good for all see. It explains the camera crew and reseachers side as to why they don’t interfer with the life and death of the Meerkats.
There are also other little short videos that talk about the making of Meerkat Manor.
Hopefully this will take you there: http://animal.discovery.com/search/results.html?query=meerkat%20manor%20channel%20guide
Wow…Lola couldnt even defend herself she was so weak…If I was a ref I would have broken it up until both had a fair shot at winning. But at least we got to see a male dominant display for once…
YEA!!! Hannibal!!! I love his scary music and the evil eye he gives…..
and when you say evil eye, are you referring to the one he’s MISSING! =:-O
or in Hannibal’s case =.-O
>^..^
I am looking for showtime for meerkat manor
is the show still on tv
thank you