Len and Squiggy 1st birthday is fast approaching. Their birthday is November 20th and it will be their 1st. Although we have been lead to believe that Squiggy died in the desert I believe that he was rescued. Afterall who could resist a precious little face like that. No one, researcher or not would be able to live with themselves if they would not have saved that little pup.
It has been alluded to in Back from KMP that he was saved and I believe it.
Now poor little Len, he stayed by his brothers side no matter what. He knew his brother was different yet that didn't matter to Len. He never saw his brothers deformity as far as Len was concerned Squiggy could play with him, nuzzle with him and they spent every minute of short little lives together.
They are both special pups that never got the chance to grow to their potentials. As for Len I say Happy Birthday you are with your mom Flower and no longer have hunger or fear. As for little Squiggy I know you are still alive and will be spending your 1st birthday surrounded by friends that love you.
I wish I knew where little Squiggy went to. I would love to go and visit you and spend a day watching you play. You both were your moms last litter and although we only saw you in one show, it was the sweetest thing to see both of you coming out of the burrow into the sunlight to join your family. We love you both and I will be here to wish you a happy birthday on the 20th of November.
Sweet little babies--they were born at such a bad time for MM and the Whiskers ... I hope the KMP folks saved Squiggy when they had the chance to do the right thing! (I know they care about all the meerkats ... and that I'm biased!!) Since we just "met" them so recently, it's hard to believe the 1-year mark is fast approaching.
Here's a pic of Len and Squiggy, courtesy of AP: http://animal.discovery.com/fansites/meerkat/poll/gallery/lensquiggy.jpg
I loved little Len and Squiggy, and I was horrified to see them both pass on. In the same show! I as well hope that little Squiggy was saved, his little calls for help made me so sad...I will also be here to wish them a happy birthday on the 20th.
I also think that Squiggy was saved! No one that loves animals can just sit around while they can do something to stop it. They could have done anything. On the other hand, Len and Squiggy would once again be inseperable and it would be forever this time. I was in tears when Len was killed! The way that Len had died had brought back some horrible memories of seeing poor little Blossom die! I am going to create an memorial for our poor little girl!
I also believe that Squiggy was saved! The way that Squiggy died reminded me of how Blossom died. Anyone that loved our meerkats could not have just down and let our precious babies go in to extinction. I cried when all of our babies died. I am going to create an memorial for our precious Blossom. Did Len die from the type of bird as Blossom?
I think so. Poor things. They both were only trying to be safe. I think Len died from a goshawk. I know Blossom did. I don't know, though. I'm also thinking that it's an eagle owl. I can't make up my mind.
Len & Squiggy, you two stole my heart! Len you were the best brother Squiggy could've had, you never let him down and I know Squiggy appreciated every moment you spent with him. Len I wish you could've seen your 1st Bday, but celebrate with your mama. Dear Squiggy, I believe in my heart you are now a best bud to the researchers, maybe you have relocated to another home where you can live happily, but I know you are celebrating your bday with lots of scorpion treats! Remember when you looked up at Mitch, that scene stole my heart, now do me a favor, send thoughts to that guy Mitch, I want him to ok. Hugs and kisses to the adorable duo. xoxoxo
I agree...Little Squiggy..when you looked up at Mitch and stood on your itty bitty little hind legs, I wanted to scoop you right up and take you home. Happy birthday little one...
Len, Thank you for always being there for your brother. You were a brave little companion for Squiggy. We miss you and wish you were with your family here to celebrate your 1st b/day, but you can now celebrate with your mom and all of your relatives.
I don't normally watch Animal shows, so Animal Planet had a shot at catching a new viewer when I clicked on Meerkat Manor. Unfortunately, it was the episode with Len and Squiggy. I was hoping for a story where Squiggy overcame his disadvantage somehow. It was heartening to see the brothers try to stick together.
When Squiggy was finally abandoned by his tribe, squeaking for help, it made me cry. I doubt I will watch any program of this sort again, so Animal Planet let a new viewer slip through its fingers. I'm just posting here to say it would have helped to see some remark about Squiggy's fate at the end of the program. Like other people commenting here, it's hard for me to believe the camera people just left him there whatever their Law of the Jungle view toward nature is.
The problem with the Len and Squiggy story is not so much the cruelty of nature, but that it implied the cruelty of human beings. Human observers were present and could choose to make a difference. Squiggy wasn't suddenly snatched: he was just ignored. His squeaks for help was one of the saddest things I've ever heard. Even suspecting that those humans chose to let Squiggy die reduces my faith in humanity in general.
Len & Squiggy are the reason I got on this site to begin with. I felt exactly the same as you and could not believe that he was "left to the desert"... I still believe that he was rescued and is living his life somewhere safe.
When this happened there were many many people that posted as to the pros and cons of rescuing animals. I have my own thoughts as to what they should do and I have left it at that.
I will continue to watch the show as I have loved them from day one. It is hard to see one die and then have to watch the families pick up the pieces and move on, but they do it so I feel I can too.
[quote]The problem with the Len and Squiggy story is not so much the cruelty of nature, but that it implied the cruelty of human beings.[/quote]
Squiggy2--Welcome, and I couldn't agree more with your comment and observations. You hit the nail on the head. On top of everything, the researchers apparently refuse to tell us of the true fate of Squiggy as they know it, including an apparent refusal to tell the fans if they made any effort to save/rescue him. It is an inconsistent and disingenuous position to take because they have been very open about what has happened to other meerkats, including cases in which they *chose* to intervene to save or try to save a life, or to euthanize (e.g., in some of the suspected TB cases).
For those who know me from many of my posts here, I am appalled by much of what really happens "behind the scenes" of many of these shows, and what is done to suppress the truth. I pretty much stopped watching MM after the L&S episode (in some cases, I have watched after reading post-show postings here). I also watched only the first two episodes of "Lemur Kingdom" after seeing how little Gizmo was abandonded and left to die in the way he did (the lemurs live in a protected area shared in part with humans). And the "Big Cat Diaries" show (BBC)--lots of lies behind that show. It looks like there's more of these shows ahead.
As much as I love the meerkats--their tenacity, family ties, and sometimes tough love--I do not agree with the "shenanigans" and manipulations of the producers and staff. I now limit my AP viewings to Chimp Eden and the Animal Precinct type shows. Too bad it's the humans that ruined the other shows for me.
Several people, including me, have asked about the fate of Squiggy in the "Ask the Researchers" thread ... now that the researchers are providing video responses to those questions, maybe we will finally have an answer.
Hello lexie_kat! I tend to agree that I want to see every little kat saved. But then there will be people that say that the researchers and film crew are not there to intervene, just document, so it is a very hard decision and no matter which way they go, there will be people that are unhappy.
I had heard about Honey (the beautiful big cat on BCD), but had never watched. Last night they showed Honey and after knowing what had happened, I was appalled at the deception of the show.
It is this behavior that makes reasonable people that see both sides get upset at anything they do. What a travesty. A beautiful life snuffed out due to the incompetance of a vet who should have not been allowed to touch a dead dog carcass.
I understand that the darting went wrong, but it is said that it was not necessary. I will even accept that the darting was necessary, then why would anyone who called themselves a vet leave any animal laying in the hot sun after being darted? And then not stay around to insure the animal woke up and was fine?!?! That is just common sense. Darting an animal is precarious at best. I looked at the BCD site and they still have Honey as the main picture.
This lack of knowledge regarding handling animals, this covering up and this exploitation of animals is starting to turn me off, fast.
Hi nightweaver! You put it so well. I'm also dumbfounded about the use of fake story lines and fake names. I think we can all agree that there is more than enough *real* action and adventure, ups and downs, loss, joy, antics, and even a few shockers on the Manor to make a docudrama that's true to what really happens without faking it. Argh!
Hello lexie_kat! I have tried to keep an open mind about some of the "substitutions", looking at them as depictions of meerkat behavior, and I realize that it is hard to mix research with TV entertainment, but like you say, there is enough going on without faking it. If it is a "slow week in the Kalahari" and they need to get a LITTLE creative, fine, but as you say, there is enough REAL action to go around. Yes, Argh!
Thanks nightweaver. I know I've taken a pretty tough stance on this issue ... I just wish they'd be consistent and on the level with us. It doesn't seem to be too much to ask!
p.s. What happened to Honey really got to me, and you've captured it perfectly. After watching the last season's episodes of BCD, I was really interested in finding out more about Honey and little Toto :-) And what came up was an article (as you describe) about the probably unnecessary darting that killed her due to the incompetence of the vet. The BBC (along with AP, which is re-airing the show) doesn't have the guts to tell the truth about what happened. And on top of that, they continue to assert that no one intervenes with these animals? It seems very clear that these animals get regular veterinary care, additional food when needed, etc. I personally have no problem with such intervention, it's the deception ... okay, now I'm getting worked up again! Gotta take a few deep breaths and count to 10!!
Hi lexie_kat! I am getting to where my "accepting stuff" is getting tougher and tougher. I SOOO understand your stance.
I don't want to go pronkering when I do not have a lot of knowledge, but it seems that even if the dart hit Honey in the stomach (not sure where), that if the vet had stayed there and not left her lying helpless in the sun, something maybe could have been done for her. I feel that the darting was not necessary, but I will simply say, necessary or unnecessary, the vet was dispicable. I even understand that hitting a moving target could cause a miss, but where I am getting worked up is the fact that he just waltzed off to have his tea (or whatever) with an animal down. GGGRRRRRR!!!
And the deception is going to make me take a few deep breaths and find a millipede to gnaw on! Last night (after she had been dead about a YEAR - and I do understand that the show was a rerun from earlier this year), they were saying that they could not wait to continue her story. PLEEEEASE, I may be a little dark, but I am not morbid. SORRY! I need my millipede, quick.
I'd love to talk about the meerkat issue, I'd rather we do that on spoiler so as to not upset people that only want to see the show due to this foolishness. Part of me is so glad I know the cool stuff, but another part of me can't stop cringing!
Take care, nice to meet you...see you around the burrow! Flotosbea
I as well hope that little Squiggy was saved, his little calls for help made me so sad...I will also be here to wish them a happy birthday on the 20th. 
