Stood up on their hind legs with arms locked around each other’s waists – this image appears to show two meerkats dancing.
In fact, the two pups were wrestling each other according to photographer and safari guide Greg Hartman, 35, who spotted them in the Kalahari Desert, Botswana.
Greg, of Zimbabwe, said he found the meerkats with 12 of their family members on the outskirts of a research and rehabilitation camp.
A pair of meerkat pups appear to be dancing but are actually play fighting in this image captured by Greg Hartman in Botswana
Mr Hartman said he spotted the pups alongside 12 of their family members near a rescue and rehabilitation centre in the Kalahari Desert
Play fighting is important to form bonds in meerkat groups because they are very social animals and require the activities to bond
Greg said: ‘The play and social behaviour on this day was particularly exciting to photograph.
‘Meerkats are some of the most social mammals on Earth.
‘They live in family groups comprised of a number of related and unrelated adults and their offspring.
‘Individuals in the family groups form close bonds and grooming and play are important aspects of social behaviour within groups.
‘The interaction is common particularly between younger members of the groups.
‘Even though many people assume there is hugging going on, the image actually shows two animals play fighting.
‘The ‘hugging’ posture is actually a bit of a wrestling move.’
Mr Hartman is both a safari guide and photographer, using his job to capture some of the animals he finds along the way
Meerkats are very active animals, so Hartman said using a high shutter speed on his camera is essential to capturing them properly
Mr Hartman, who got into wildlife and nature photography around three years ago, takes visitors on walks across the plains of the Kalahari and often comes across meerkats
Greg, who got into wildlife and nature photography around three years ago, takes visitors on walks across the plains of the Kalahari and often comes across meerkats.
Greg said: ‘I really enjoy finding and photographing rare creatures.
‘Some of the desert specialists that I love trying to photograph include Aardvark, Aardwolf, Cape Fox and Brown Hyena.
‘A few key aspects I was thinking about whilst photographing such interactions included effective camera settings and camera positioning.
‘Meerkats move fast so a high shutter speed was super important.
‘My camera is not great at high ISO so keeping an eye on that was in my mind.
‘Additionally getting as low as possible to shot at the animals level was very important.’