You’d be excused for thinking meerkats are cute little creatures who sell insurance, but did you know that these funny, affectionate and cuddly creatures also have slightly more wicked side?

The nation has fallen in love with ‘the little earthmen’ who live in the Kalahari Desert, so when TVScoop was invited to an early screening of the small furballs’ next TV adventure we didn’t hesitate to accept.

Together with National Geographic Channel, Sky 3D are bringing you Meerkats 3D this October.

Meerkats 3D follows the journey of Clinky and her family of meerkats as they cope with the twists and turns of life in the stunning yet hostile Kalahari Desert. See the highs and lows of being a meerkat matriarch: the daily dilemmas, tackling the tough and dangerous terrain as well as trying to keep little teenage meerkat daughters out of trouble – and away from rival gang’s admirers!

Expect drama, sadness and a lot of giggles as Clinky, Miss Bean, Harry and the rest of the clan watch over the new pups as they tackle their first scorpion, avoid deadly cobra attacks and take their first trip out with the group, trying to keep up – their lives depending on it.

The hour-long docu soap is produced by Oxford Scientific Films – the team behind popular Meerkat Manor – and immerses the audience in the complex social lives of meerkats over several different seasons.

Caroline Hawkins, the film’s producer, said the team were keen to bring meerkats to 3D as the “format makes the film more natural and dramatic” and “brings the viewer into the meerkat world as closely as possible”.

Before the screening at London Zoo, we quickly caught up with Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tim Clutton-Brock, who has spent over 18 years studying the fascinating animals and who assisted the film team before they went on location. Prof. Clutton-Brock told stories of how the ten inch desert creatures can be quite vicious when needs be – killing or banishing their own to protect the future success of their clan – and why meerkats make a very poor pets because of their social nature. “They become quite vicious when taken away from their pack” and are quite “brutal and not just cuddly” said Prof Clutton-Brock, who generally avoids being called Meerkat King despite his vast knowledge of these small animals.

Meerkats 3D will be shown on the Sky 3D channel on Sunday 16^th October at 8pm.

If you don’t own a 3D TV the 2D version of Meerkats can be seen on the same day and time on Nat Geo Wild (Sky channel 528).