Meerkat Manor premiered on Animal Planet on June 9, 2006. With all the love, squabbling, self-sacrifice and rivalry found in any family, a group of meerkats struggles to survive in Africa's Kalahari Desert. Don't let their cuddly appearance fool you though - there's a good reason these meerkat families are called a "mob." Meerkat Manor was filmed with the assistance of Cambridge University, which is conducting a 10-year study on meerkats. From family quarrels to love affairs to backstabbing worthy of a Shakespearean tale, these fuzzy reality TV stars pack a huge dramatic punch.