Meerkat photographers

Meerkats have long been known as curious and resourceful creatures, but it now appears some have a talent for photography too.

A group of the animals - known as a mob - at Longleat Safari Park turned their paws to the hobby when a warden accidentally left a camera in their enclosure.

In the five minutes before he returned, the inquisitive mammals clambered up the tripod, explored the controls and managed to take three family photos.

While perhaps not up to standards of David Bailey, the images are a remarkable achievement for the desert-dwelling creatures, who are arguable most famous for their proclivity for infanticide.

Ian Turner, deputy head warden at the park, and the man whose left his camera in the enclosure while taking images for a new brochure, said he was amazed to discover the images on the digital memory card.

"They are some of the more inquisitive creatures here at Longleat and will generally get their nose and paws into most things," he said. "But to actually get up to the camera and even take a family portrait is quite incredible."