Meerkats traditionally inhabit the Kalahari Desert in Botswana and South Africa. But one of these critters is proving to be the star attraction at a pet shop in Devon.
Visitors to the Sign Of The Owl Petshop in Ivybridge often find Clyde on the till in his owner Derek Wakeham's shop.
And, with his with salt-and-pepper fur, pointy nose and inquisitive nature he certainly attracts his fair share of attention.
Derek and his wife Julie have raised six-year-old Clyde from birth.
Meerkats, which are members of the mongoose family, aren't normally domesticated animals, but, because he was hand-reared, Clyde loves to be around humans and often hangs out at the shop. He snacks on fruit, eggs, mealworms and the odd cricket.
I've talked about TV ads before and, I don't know if it's just me, but that 'Compare the market, compare the meerkat' one seems to have lodged itself firmly in my brain.
Photos by: Richard Austin/Rex Features.
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