Rastas(VCDF048) was born on August 17, 2008 in the Commandos. His mother was Samba, a subordinate female in the Commandos and his father was an unknown rover. His litter-mates were VCDF045, Jimmy Jazz(VCDM046) and Sue(VCDM047). A few days prior the dominant female of the Commandos Zorilla gave birth to two pups. Despite having pups of her own, Zorilla allowed Samba to keep her litter and Samba made no attempt to kill Zorilla's litter. Samba was evicted that month but made it back into the group by the end of the month. Sadly VCDF045 was predated in October while the rest of the litter survived their first few months. When Rastas was five months old when Zorilla and several other meerkats died of disease in Janaury 2009. Samba, Rastas' mother, almost became the new dominant female, but was