What animal is Timon from the Lion King?

What animal is Timon from the Disney’s “The Lion King?”

This animal, with silvery brown, grizzled coat and eight bands of dark fur on the lower half of its body, is a Meerkat.

It is also called a Suricate.

They live in southwestern South America, and are common.

It is good at burrowing. What anatomy does a Meerkat have that helps it in digging underground?

For one, it has long foreclaws. It can root up food items using these, too.

For another, the Meerkat has small, pointed ears, but it can close–and it does this when it goes underground.

Meerkats live in groups. How many animals live in one group, do you think?

Around 30. They live in enlarged burrow systems of Ground Squirrels.

They act as a group, too.

Most Meerkats in a group forage for food–mostly insects. But not all.

 

Some members of the group act as sentries.

They stand at vantage points–atop mounds or in bushes–where they keep an eye out for predators.

Can you name a predator of Meerkats?

The hawk.

When a hawk or other predatory bird is spotted, Meerkats make cheeping or clucking warning noises. If the threat becomes serious, they growl or make sharper barks.

When they are seriously threatened, they all dive underground to be safe.

Meerkats can stand on their hind legs. They do this first thing in the morning.

Meerkats emerge from their burrows and stand facing the sun to warm themselves.

What animal is Timon from the Lion King?