This is a memorial for Len and Squiggy! It seems as though everyone has forgotten about them. Share pomes, songs and stories. Len & Squiggy Memorial Starts With A:

I hope no one has forgot about these two, I know that I haven't, they were so young and little..I just hope that they are with the rest of their family now, with tons of sun of their bellies and millipedes and scorpions to keep them full!

I hope that Squiggy can walk normaly now too.

The Lenny and Squiggy episode was a real turning point for me and the whole MM series because when the cameras panned away from little Squiggy as his family ran away, it is VERY clear that humans (researchers, camera people, etc.) were present at that moment and that they were very aware of Squiggy's all-but-certain and imminent death in being left behind (yes, I know, there were extenuating circumstances, such as the draught combined with his disability).

I realize that nature can be cruel, to say the least, but also knowing that the research team (and possibly others) definitely intervene in specific cases (e.g., euthanizing Big Cy after realizing he had TB, trying to save Flower), it is therefore disingenuous to say they don't intervene "with nature." I realize the KMP is not a conservation project in the strictest sense and that it's also not a purely observational research study either but there is clearly human intervention beyond just "habituation" in the form of weighing, marking and tracking/observing the meerkats, and letting the meerkats become comfortable around humans.

Anyway, I think of these two little sweeties often and my heart still breaks when I think of that closing scene of the Squigg-ster. And I love Mitch all the more for trying to help Squiggy in particular as much as he did and could.

I know not everyone will agree with my view, but hey, we're here to share, discuss and debate, right?

Thnx,
Lexie

Maybe it's the same as birds: if they take the meerkat the family won'taccept them back? Hey, I'm only 10 so don't blame me it I'm wrong...

That's a very good point, watchchannel63, and I'm impressed that you know that at age 10! :-)

My thought is that if Squiggy had been removed from the group he probably would go to a wildlife sanctuary or zoo, but that's just my guess!

Thanks for starting this thread. I think we all were so touched by how Len and Squiggy stuck together, and then losing them. They were born at a tough time for the Whiskers and MM, given the drought and little food, and the splitting of the Whiskers to try to make sure everyone could get enough to eat.

They are little dears, for sure, and I hope they're running with their family and pals who have already crossed the rainbow bridge to 'animal heaven'!

Lexie_Kat

Len and Aquiggy are the reason I got onto this site in the first place. I wrote to AP, like that would do any good as I was so upset. I was so sadden when I saw little Sqiuggy get left behind. I taped it and watched it over and over and his crying, about 20 times, torn at my heart. Of course losing Len was heartbreaking in itself, but I always loved when close to the end Squiggy was left with Mitch while he was standing alone. It said that the social care that the family provided broke down and Len paid the price leaving the Squiggy, the weaker of the two,to survive. Then Squiggy gets on his little hind legs and looks up at Mitch. That did it for me. That precious little creature was left to the desert? Oh no, not so. They had to have picked up his little body and taken him to a safe zoo somewhere. He had my heart all of the way. I love this little guy. When he first came out of the burrow with that little deformed leg, I knew he may not survive. Flower's last litter.....so precious! Thank you SOOOO much for creating this site for Len & Squiggy...They will NEVER be forgotten!

Lexie, I would rather have seen Squiggy in a zoo than dead, but he would be lost without Len.

The Offical Len & Squiggy Memorial: http://community.discovery.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=6941912904&f=7811928539&m=7971954639&r=7971954639#7971954639

Hi Janelle--

I too wrote AP after the airing of the L&S episode to express (as politely as possible!) my anger and frustration about MM, Season 3 "trends", and the apparent leaving behind of Squiggy in light of intervention by the researchers on behalf of other meerkats. The lame response I got from AP was that they were sorry that I was upset about how they phrased the script, which totally missed the point (double duh). I suppose it was probably a generic response. By the way, I'm okay with the researchers intervening; what I don't like is the assertion that there is no human intervention or interference--it's just not correct!

I guess my dander's up again when I should be more focused on sending hugs and kisses to the adorable Len, Squiggy, and other little pups that didn't make it. It's just that cases like Squiggy are very different from quick attacks by birds, snakes, jackals, etc., in my opinion.

LK

lexie_kat:

Mine was a generic response also. I think that sometimes I want to know what happens to them. Other times I do not want to see it. I guess I cannot pick and choose. I just have to understand what this is all about. I want them to intervene when there is a case like this. But the book says that if they rescued all the pups it would be way too many. Sad, huh? I do hope that they were able to save little Squiggy. I know I would have. I would have put him into my pocket and taken the next flight out of there. I can dream!

I will never forget Len & Squiggy! Sadly to say that episode was the very first MM I had watched. I swore after watching that show I would never watch MM ever again, way to sad to watch,But here I am remembering Len & Squiggy & happy to say I've watched all the episodes from all three seasons.For as heartwrenching as s3 has been I have to continue to watch MM just to cheer on all our beloved meerkats!!

Hi Janelle--I hear you! But at the same time, it's not an either-or, all-or-nothing situation (obviously). I'm not expecting them to save all the meerkats, but there are specific, clear cases where the researchers (and other humans!) are clearly present (didn't someone say that when they're filming, the people are just *feet* away?) and/or the researchers have chosen to intervene/interfere to try to save a life or help in some other way.

Meerkat kid--Welcome, and glad you hung in there! :-) I had to take a little break from watching MM after the Len and Squiggy episode because it was so sad. I hope you have fun here, and learn lots, too!

Lexie

Hi Janelle--My reply to your last post was f-l-a-g-g-e-d for some reason so I'll wait a bit to see if it gets through!

Meerkatkid--Welcome, hope you have fun here! Glad you stuck it out with MM, that *was* a tough episode to start with, for sure!

Thar she is! :-) (my post date-stamped 9:03)

I read rumors and I will believe in my heart no matter of the truth or not that someone did intervene and scoop up little Squiggy. I imagine he is at an animal reserve or zoo living happily and noone cares about his little leg. He can eat as much as he wants and he even has a companion! This is what I will believe because if I have to believe the other, then I don't want to think that people could be that heartless, pan away and just leave that poor defenseless pup there all alone.

When Len died because of his love for squiggy, it was the first time meerkat manor made me cry. The second time was when flower died. I didn't watch episode 12, because I couldn't watch any more death(and also I couldn't watch my favorite meerkat die)

Oh Len brave brave Len you stood by your brother's side we love you
Sqiggy you just amaze me!
-Meercataa