Help Chico the Meerkat!

This story really tugs at our heartstrings. Chico is a Meerkat that lives at the Los Angeles Zoo. Those of us who live in the area know that this zoo does not exactly have the best reputation for the care and treatment of their animals. Unfortunately, it looks like Chico is caught right in the middle of it all.

If you do a little research on Meerkats or are even an avid watcher of Meerkat Manor, you'll know that these animals do their best and flourish when they are in a community with other Meerkats. Lil Chico actually had a buddy named Spanky that lived with him at the zoo for years, but unfortunatly he passed in away in January of this year. Poor Chico is distraught and beside himself with loneliness now and the Los Angeles Zoo is doing nothing to help him. They've even since let his habitat go to waste and he doesn't even have green grass to frolic around in anymore.

This breaks our hearts and we want anyone else out there who may be as compelled as we are to help Chico by signing The Chico Project Petition. We urge you to also spread the word to other people with a voice. The Chico Project's end goal is to get Chico placed in a new zoo that will be attentive to his welfare and social needs. Right now, it's being reported that the poor lil guy is being fed dog kibble. Something needs to change!

You can sign the Chico petition here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Help-Chico-live-like-a-meerkat-should. I am sure if he could tell you, he'd be forever grateful.

Here's a video that The Chico Project made of this adorable meerkat. We swear, you'll fall in love!

Link to LA Times article on Chico: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-meerkat28-2008aug28,0,1659189.story

Image courtesy of latimes.com.