Meerkats at Wigfield Farm are enjoying the high life thanks to a new enclosure designed by animal care students.
The new enclosure has been designed to recreate the meerkats' natural habitat, the desert, as accurately as possible with sand, rocks, tree stumps and heat lamps to keep them warm.
A glass panel surround means visitors have a clear view of the comical creatures and they can peek out at their adoring fans.
The four meerkats, Melvyn, Montgomery, Flash and Twinkle were bought as pups by the farm in 2010 and have since been a big hit with staff, students and visitors.
Students studying animal care at the farm help with feeding and cleaning as well as conducting health checks as part of their course.
James Ledger, 18, is studying an extended diploma in animal management. He said: "We have been looking at ways of making life for the meerkats more exciting.
Foraging is an important part of their daily routine so we have been hiding food in some weird and wonderful places including in a watermelon and a kitchen roll to make it more interesting for them."
© 2013 Barnsley Chronicle Ltd