- Several meerkats have died following an underground tunnel collapse at Tropical Birdland wildlife park in Desford, Leicestershire.
- Rescuers managed to save only one member of the mob, with the rest perishing in what staff described as a catastrophic turn of events.
- Park staff explained that sudden heavy rainfall following an unusually long heatwave compromised the soil structure, causing the tunnels to crumble.
- The mob's matriarch, Big Mama, had been leading the excavation of a fresh underground chamber to prepare for her next litter of pups.
- Staff at the wildlife park are spending regular time with the sole surviving meerkat to offer comfort and monitor its condition.
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