Meerkat

What you're getting

When a meerkat on lookout spots trouble, it sounds the alarm to warn the rest of the mob. They're clever about it too — long howls mean a bird of prey's heading your way, while short double-barks signal a ground predator closing in. Each group needs a decent-sized territory to make a go of it, with a mix of hard and soft sand. The hard stuff's ideal for digging tunnels, but foraging there takes more effort, so they need both types to thrive.