A group of meerkats is called a mob

Meerkat Mommy Dearest

Trigger Warning: meerkat moms self-aborting in exile.

Dominant meerkat females run tight ships up to 30 individuals deep in the unforgiving Kalahari Desert. Meerkats cannot survive alone in this harsh environment. Their mobs are what’s called “obligate social”: meerkats must either go with the group, or perish. Communal living is one of their ingenious adaptations to beat back predation and extreme heat. So are the black rings around their eyes, designed to deflect the sun’s glare.