(Video) Stray meerkat rescued on MacLehose Trail, experts urge proper handling

A stray meerkat recently spotted on the MacLehose Trail in Tuen Mun has been rescued by a local couple who brought it home for a bath and deworming, with the animal reportedly in good health.

The meerkat was found roaming the hillside of the trail by a man and a woman, who subsequently shared a video of it in their home.

The footage shows the animal in apparently good health, exploring the bathroom that had been converted into a temporary shelter equipped with towels and fresh water.

It remains unclear whether the pair intends to keep the meerkat or hand it over to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) or the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD)

Ling, the hiker who first discovered the meerkat on the trail, expressed relief upon learning of the rescue. Speaking to Sing Tao Daily, the sister publication of The Standard, he noted that while he had no objection to the meerkat being adopted by a kind-hearted person, he would feel much more reassured if it were handed over to the SPCA for professional care.

Wildlife experts, however, strongly advised against keeping meerkats in a household environment. Experts pointed out that meerkats are highly active animals. Confining them to cramped spaces or cages prevents them from releasing their energy, which can easily trigger severe mental distress or behavioral abnormalities.

Meerkats are also highly social creatures that naturally live in clans of 10 to 40 individuals, meaning keeping a single meerkat deprives it of vital family interactions.

Under the Public Health (Animals and Birds) Ordinance and the Rabies Regulation, a special permit is strictly required to import any live animal into the city.

As the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department does not approve the import of meerkats as pets, all such animals, including those advertised online as “direct delivery” from the mainland, are classified as illegally smuggled.

Violators face a maximum HK$50,000 fine and up to one year of imprisonment.

Between 2023 and March 2025, the department seized 16 non-pet category animals, including meerkats, sugar gliders, and hedgehogs, all of which have become popular exotic pets in recent years.

Additionally, the department received one meerkat and one hedgehog voluntarily surrendered by citizens across 2023 and 2024.

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