Predators -
Due to the small size of the Meerkat, they are natural prey to numerous animal species that are both on the ground and in the air. The biggest threat to Meerkats are Birds of Prey such as Hawks and Eagles that can spot these animals from high above their heads, along with ground-dwelling predators such as Snakes that hunt them on the ground.
In order to try and protect themselves from being so vulnerable in their open surroundings, Meerkats adopt the safety in numbers tactic and ensure that there is always an individual on guard to warn the rest of the group of any approaching danger.
In places that are closer to growing Human settlements and near to areas where domestic animals are grazed, Meerkats have been known to contract both bovine diseases and rabies that can affect whole populations of these adaptable and otherwise resilient animals.