What is the use of the meerkat back pattern?
It is used for protection in the form of disruptive crypsis, or camouflage. It confuses predators by breaking up the shape of the meerkat. Often a meerkat will rely on the back pattern to blend with other meerkats, to look like a larger animal to intimidate smaller predators. Or the meerkat may lie flat and use the camouflage to avoid detection from aerial predators like eagles.
