MUMBAI: Actor Sean Astin Lord of the Rings, 24 tries to embody two new character traits -- small and furry.

He lends his talents to narrate Meerkat Manor, Animal Planet US' new 13-part docu-drama. The show premieres in June 2006.

With all the love, squabbling, self-sacrifice and rivalry found in any family, a group of Meerkats struggles to survive in Africa's Kalahari Desert.

The show was filmed over the course of a 10-year Cambridge University study, and explains to viewers the context of the behaviour they have recorded. There will be family feuds, secret love affairs and backstabbing .

Animal Planet US GM Maureen Smith says, "It's like a soap-opera, and I mean that in a good way. Meerkats are very social creatures, so you find yourself really pulling for certain characters. It's compelling reality television".

With cameras recording their every move, the show introduces viewers to the Whiskers, a family of Meerkats, revealing their personalities over the course of the series.