A meerkat is a small, slender mammal that lives in the deserts and grasslands of southern Africa. About the size of a squirrel, meerkats have tan or gray fur, dark patches around their eyes, and long tails they use for balance.

Meerkats are famous for standing upright on their hind legs like little sentries, scanning the horizon for predators like eagles, jackals, and snakes. They live in underground burrows in groups called mobs or gangs (sometimes as many as 30 meerkats in one group), and they work together to survive in their harsh environment. While some meerkats stand guard and watch for danger, others search for food: insects, lizards, and scorpions. When a guard spots a threat, it makes a sharp alarm call, and the whole mob dashes underground to safety.

Despite their name, meerkats aren't cats at all. They're actually members of the mongoose family. Scientists call them by their Latin name, Suricata suricatta, which sounds like something a meerkat might say while standing guard!