Actually now that I think about it, I don't think that's the case. I think the only reason they have the gate is because they don't have a door to directly access the meerkat exhibit. Although as @Great Argus said, I think they should of just combined the meerkats and aardvark
Well, and that exhibit has been subject to change since the plans. Originally they were getting Banded Mongoose to live with the Aardvark. Then somewhere along the line they got pulled out and replaced with Fennec Fox. After a yearish they then ship out the foxes for an unexplained reason, and bring in the all to ubiquitous Meerkats.
Far as that goes, Small Wonders itself hardly has anything that was originally planned now. The fruit bats are gone, the guineafowl got shipped out, the couas and hornbills got shunted to other parts of the zoo, Fennec Foxes and pygmy falcon have come and gone. I know animals get transferred because of SSP's breeding recommendations and such, but still there's been a ton of turnover in that small complex.
@Orycteropus The mix was only planned, Banded Mongooses never arrived. Fennec foxes were mixed with the aardvark originally then they were shipped out and the exhibit was split in half. Currently the aardvark lives on one side and a small troop of meerkats on the other.
