The Meerkat 'Lookout'

A meerkat standing on tip toes, scanning the desert horizon, is one of the most recognisable images in the natural world. This 'Lookout' pose allows the appointed meerkat (they take turns) to scan the horizon for friend or foe, as they're fiercely protective of their group. Amusingly, these groups are known as a 'mob' or 'gang,' and while I'm not sure whether that is the official collective noun, both terms seem quite fitting given their behaviour.

I've attempted to recreate that pose as accurately as I can with this model: "The Meerkat Lookout."

There's been so many fantastic new Lego elements over the last few years, with so many new slopes, (both curved and angled), wedges and brackets, that organic builds have become much more achievable. In the past, we'd always need to compromise somewhere in an animal's design, but then, coming up with the best solution you can is what makes Lego fun!

I think building more organic models that have people scratching their heads as to how those complicated rounded shapes and forms can be created in Lego, will help draw in even more fans, and I hope this model can help do that.

It's roughly 1,400 parts, and would stand around 12 minifigures* tall, so I may well have overdone its size, but still, having your own Meerkat sentry watching over you might be nice!

*(In fact, it may not be far off from real-world scale!)