Meerkats on Watch
1Meerkats are small, furry animals that live in the dry lands of southern Africa. They live in groups, and they work hard to keep each other safe.
2A meerkat group is called a mob. A mob can have just a few meerkats or many of them. The meerkats in a mob sleep together in burrows under the ground. On cool mornings, they come out and sit in the sun to warm up.
3When the mob looks for food, one meerkat becomes the lookout. It climbs onto a rock or a small bush. Then it stands up tall on its back legs and watches the sky and the land. The lookout keeps watching while the others dig in the sand for food.
4If the lookout sees an eagle or a jackal, it gives a loud alarm call. The other meerkats stop digging and race to the nearest burrow. Meerkats take turns being the lookout, so no one has to watch all day.