Not the mama?

We're not sure if this adult meerkat is these pups' mama or their babysitter. Both roles are important in rearing meerkat young, as most pups are born to older, dominant females and then cared for by the mob's younger adults. This adorable family-portrait pose is actually a defensive posture: By covering the pups with its body, the adult is helping hide the pups from birds of prey, one of many dangers for meerkats as they scavenge wide-open plains for insects to eat.