8-year-old meerkat died in Miami zoo

Southwest Miami-Dade, Florida – According to zoo officials, staff was making rounds on Sunday when they were unable to find Gizmo, an almost 8-year-old meerkat.
After searching the habitat, staff Gizmo’s body in what appeared to be a collapsed tunnel.
Zoo staff says it appears that Gizmo may have been inside the tunnel when it collapsed, trapping him inside.
“As part of the daily routine caring for the meerkats, zookeepers are very diligent about manually collapsing all the tunnels within the habitat at the end of each day in order to prevent the tragedy that apparently struck Gizmo,” the zoo said.
“Unfortunately, because the meerkats are constantly digging, another tunnel may have been quickly constructed following the keeper maintenance routine, and sadly, because of the excessive rain we have experienced the last several days, it was unstable and collapsed.”
According to Zoo Miami officials, Gizmo was born at the Brevard Zoo in 2013 and came to South Florida in June 2018.
“Since his arrival, he has been a favorite among staff and guests alike and his loss has been devastating, especially for his keepers,” staff said.