All was in readiness. The plan was foolproof. Within days, the loyal subjects of Space Emperor Meerk the Malevolent would emerge from their sleep capsules and subjugate the helpless Earthlings.

Meerkat Gift, by patrickmai875, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

“All right, kids, everybody huddle together between me and Mom. Timmy, stop squashing your sister!”

Meerkat Family at Henry Vilas Zoo, by Amy Bayer

Thanks to reader Kar for noting that today is World Meerkat Day!

In the harsh unforgiving home of the meerkat, survival calls for teamwork and vigilance. A keen instinct alerts the family when an intruder is near, and lookouts rush to stand guard.

Via Andrew Y.