Meerkat communities typically live in groups called mobs or clans, which can vary in size from about 20 to 50 individuals. Within these groups, there is a dominant breeding pair, known as the alpha male and alpha female, who are usually the only ones to reproduce. Other members of the group help with duties such as babysitting, foraging, and keeping watch for predators. Meerkats are highly social animals and rely on cooperation and coordination within their groups to survive in the harsh desert environment where they live.
