R.I.P. little Princess......
This is just devistating.


Flower4ever

Oh my,Pronker! This is so heartbreaking! On the road?!

Yes you can Christopher. We're all really hurting now, we put so much hope on RD and she (like Melba said) gave it her all and never stopped. We have to honor our little ones. Lets get through this together.

Hello c9691. I know how sad we all are, what a devistating blow. At least they finished filming S4 and we get to see RD in better times. I would never push anyone to watch, I understand the pain, but we are a pretty close group and have seen each other through good and bad and there is still beauty with these little kats and we are fortunate enough to be able to see them. You and I have exchanged many posts, and I know that we both adore these little creatures. I just saw the commercial for S4 today for the first time, how ironic, but if you do watch and need to share feelings, you know that this is a lovely place to do so.

Like zettak said, we were just talking about it being RD that saved Axle and we were already paying tribute to her.

I hope you feel better and whatever you decide, I'd still love for you to come to the burrow and say hi!

Take care, friend!
Tailwraps
Flotosbea

So sad, just a devastating loss.

Rocket Dog was meant for greatness...had time allowed. She is gone but never forgotten.

Take her home to her family St. Francis...beyond the Rainbow Bridge, where there is only peace, joy and plenty...

Rest In Peace Princess Rocket Dog.
Peace Love & Meerkats
Christine

Yes, this is a very sad time for all of us Meerkat lovers. I also believe that she would have been one of the great DFs if she had the time. I remember watching that beautiful face immediately after taking full control of the Whiskers, and it seemed like she knew that she was going to take this group of meerkats straight to the top of the Meerkat groups around the ares just like her mom did. I will truely miss you Rocket Dog, but I know that your spirit is still around with your family in heaven looking down on all of us, and protecting your Whisker group in the Kali.

This is just so sad. She led the group through the tough time in Flower's passing and now Flower and the other meerkats lost will be there to welcome her into their mob across the Rainbow Bridge.. RIP Rocket Dog!

RIP Rocket Dog!

oh man..... this show is so brutal...

Hi everyone, the news about poor little RD has totally devastated me too. I have been rooting for her success since she first stepped up as DF. I was getting very worried about her health due to so many aborted litters, and now this... The deaths are relentless; how much heartbreak can we stand?! But deep down I know these charming tiny animals have burrowed deep into my heart, and I'm in this with them for the long haul. I do need to develop some better coping skills. Any ideas? Do we need a meerkat grief support group?

About that horribly dangerous road: I looked on a map and see there is a major public gravel (vs. dirt) road that runs right through KMP. Even worse, some of the KMP mobs' territories straddle the road. To give you an idea, I believe Rhian Vivian (MM's Nikita Commando) is standing in middle of the road in this photo (sorry you'll have to cut and paste the address):

http://friends.kalahari-meerkats.com/index.php?id=faq_kmp-meerkats - Scroll down to the photo in the right column labeled "Meerkat Manor scary neighbour" and click on it.

The area is sparsely populated, and I'm sure local travelers drive pretty fast. From what I have read, many local people are struggling to survive themselves, so there is not a lot of concern for wildlife. Tragically, all of these factors contribute to road kill. It's infuriating but very difficult to fix.

I hope this doesn't upset people even more. For me, learning more information helps. Take care, burrow mates

Kach5503, you are probably right about the factors contributing to Rocket Dog's tragic death. Even in my own neighborhood, speed limits of 20 MPH do not eliminate the large number of squirrels and rabbits that fall victim to automobiles each year. It is very sad.

I love that picture of Rhian apparently standing in the road. Thanks for sharing.

REST IN PEACE ROCKET DOG. LOVE YOU, TEARS ARE STREAMING DOWN FOR YOU. YOU WILL BE MISSED.
MY LOVE

Beautiful Rhian (that looks straight into the lens!), another of our departed kats, exemplifies the problem: a tiny animal, of the same tan color of the dirt road (that doesn't have a smooth, flat surface). Meerkats are very fast moving; I think it's almost impossible for anybody to see.
My smallest cat, a girl, is 9lbs, and I consider her tiny. Adult meerkats are about 2lbs.

Dear little Rocket Dog, may you rest in peace.

Very sadly, RD is not the first meerkat in our manor to be run over and killed by a vehicle, and I must say with frustration and anger that I doubt she'll be the last.

Thank you Pronker for sharing this news, distressing though it is.

While it will be hard to watch season 4 knowing the outcome for our RD. It will be wonderful to know that she rose to her position and became a worthy DF.

hugs & nuzzles
Jerseykat

If they can't control the traffic why doesn't someone put some large drain pipes UNDER the road so the kats can cross at certain areas without getting killed. that would not be any more interference in how they live than the cars that run them down. And don't tell me they wouldn't figure out how to use them.

This morning I felt a need to light a candle for Flower and Mozart and was reading the tributes of some of the others. The shock of reading about the loss of Rocket Dog has left me saddened beyond belief. To lose any of our beloved meerkats through desease or predators is so very difficult, but to be senselessly hit by a car makes Rocket Dog's needless death so hard to bear and accept.

Rest in love and light precious Rocket Dog, you will be in our hearts forever.

Mamulur,
Jackpot idea!

I was so upset by this news that I had to leave the library yesterday (my internet connection) before I completely lost it. Her death was so unnecessary! She was Flower's true successor! I have lit candles for her and the others who have passed.

I am nunb again...I just found out. I can't believe it, not Rocket Dog! She looked so much like Flower. Pronker, thank you for sharing the news with us now, so when we see the May report, we will have been prepared. These beautiful little creatures have touched our souls so.

How fast do the cars go? They must race through the desert, I can't imagine cars going 20 MPH and hitting a meerkat

rocket dog's death is very tragic, but you can't blame the driver of the vehicle! it may have been a kmp researcher for all we know. how do you think he or she would feel about it? he or she would be devastated enough without people pointing the finger. meerkats are very small and blend in well with their environment. the driver wouldn't see a meerkat in time if it dashed out in front of the vehicle at the last second no matter how slow he was driving. i hate the blame game and people play it way too much these days in all aspects of life.

RIP Rocket Dog

Most of us are sad and in shock, and I hope I haven't offended anyone. 'Hate' is a big word though...

alyse, i am not trying to upset anyone here. i used "hate" in the context of i see no reason for what people do these days when something bad happens. they spend more time and thought trying to decide who we can blame rather than trying to think of ways to prevent future tragedies. it probably wasn't a researcher, it was probably a local farmer taking his goods to market, or whatever. most people in africa struggle to survive, and i don't mean sometimes they have to scrape to pay their cable or internet bill. they struggle to provide their families with food and clothes. i personally don't want to be the one to say "they should drive around the reserve so they don't mess with my entertainment". as far as driving slow, meerkats are barely bigger than squirls and about the same color as the dessert they live in. and apparently their moms don't teach them to look both ways. it is highly unfortunate that this happens to our kats, but what if the kmp looked into building tunnels under the road, and researched whether the meerkats would use them (or some other type of solution).

An Earthwatch visitor to KMP says cars and trucks travel 50+ mph on that road. It's isolated and I doubt that there are many (any?) traffic cops.

For some reason I have been seeing lots of squished squirrels (sorry) lately on the roads in my suburban neighborhood. It's very upsetting. The speed limits are ~30 mph, 20 mph in school zones. Even at fairly slow speeds, animals sometimes run right out in front of us and it's just about impossible to miss them. Years ago I hit a poor little rabbit on the way home from work, though I slammed on the brakes and tried to swerve out of the way. I felt physically ill and (obviously) still remember it with regret.

I hate (yes, it is a strong word) that meerkats have such hard lives in an environment full of natural and human dangers. Poor babies. NDodo is right; the Kalahari is an incredibly harsh place for both animals and people. RIP, dear little RD. Best Wishes to everyone

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
♥ ROCKET DOG ♥
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I have not visited the "SPOILER" content forum since the death of Zarathustra! I did two days ago and in the vast sea of topics, all I could focus on was "sad news". The first & immediate thought that was racing through my brain was... OMG, now who did we lose? Then the optimistic side of me said, "Oh I'm just overreacting"! GAWD... I was sooo wrong! With the exception of Zaphod being the meerkat being discussed, it was the worst news possible!

Rocket Dog was a valiant & worthy leader! She persevered forward despite having to endure the worst drought in a decade, the major food shortages, the spread of disease (TB), the group split (Aztecs), clashes with rival groups, the multiple miscarriages & the most trying task of all... filling in Flower's shoes!

For Rocket Dog not to have loss her life to a predator, (those just trying to survive & feed their young), disease, starvation, or to a rival clan, (who, like the Whiskers are just trying to further there own survival & their groups future in the competitive and unforgiving Kalahari. But to a VEHICLE is disheartening to say the least. The most UNNATURAL occurance that could have fallen upon our little leader!

I pray that Rocket Dog is getting reacquainted with her parents, Flower & Youssarian, & the rest of her loved ones the preceded her in death. Most of all with her precious pups that she never got the joy of seeing grow up because they were sent straight to heaven!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
♥ REST IN PEACE Rocket Dog! ♥
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I haven't been on-line for about 1 week and to come back to this leaves me in complete shock. I'm at working crying and my co-workers think I'm wacko, because I'm crying for an "animal I've never even touched." I told them I may not have ever touched them physically, but they have touch me emotionally. And thats all that matters.

RD reminded me so much of Flower. And for her die by a car...this can't be. She had so much life ahead of her. I wanted her to suceed and become as fierce and loving like Flower.

Rest in peace little lady. I will miss you.