The nine-year-old dominant male, who has sired 50 young since being at the park, caused great concern to staff and his family after disappearing during the storm and remaining missing for two days.
Head of mammals Richard Johnstone-Scott said that when Nelson disappeared at the same time that the storm caused havoc within the enclosure, they had feared the worst.
‘We searched the enclosure thoroughly and made the decision to move the other 16 meerkats to another area because their habitat had become unsafe,’ he said.
After two days had passed with no sign of Nelson, the staff were relieved when he was seen in a dishevelled state walking around the main enclosure looking bewildered because it was empty.
