MEERKATS: Order Carnivora - Family Herpestidae.
Meerkats (Suricata suricatta) are in the the Mongoose family.  Meerkats
live in colonies of up to 30 in deserts across the southern 1/3rd of
Africa.  Primarily INSECTOVORES, they always have sentinels on duty to
watch & warn of approaching predators.

<http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/
Suricata_suricatta.html>

PRAIRIE DOGS: Order Rodentia - Family Sciuridae.
Prairie dogs (Genus Cynomys) are members of the Squirrel Family.  These
GRAZING RODENTS thrived in large social units across North America until
farmers started exterminating them.
<http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/classification/
Cynomys.html#Cynomys>

BLACK-FOOTED FERRET: Order Carnivora - Family Mustelidae.
Thisc cousin to our beloved domesticated ferret (Mustela putorius furo),
North American Black-Footed Ferrets (Mustela nigripes) are solitary
animals who survive mainly off living in prarie dog burrows and hunting
prarie dogs.  Poisoning of Prairie Dogs nearly wiped out the now
endangered Black-Footed Ferret.
<http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/
Mustela_nigripes.html>

"Intelligence is like 4-wheel drive.  It allows you to get stuck in more
'remote' places."

~ Garrison Keillor ~
[Posted in FML issue 5285]