Final answer:
The peculiarity about meerkats relative to Richard Parker is their cooperative social behavior, in contrast to the solitary and predatory nature of a tiger. Meerkats live in groups and work together, which is highly unusual for a predator like Richard Parker.
Step-by-step explanation:
What is peculiar about the meerkats relative to Richard Parker? This question seems to juxtapose the cooperative nature of meerkats with that of Richard Parker. In literature, Richard Parker is a character from Yann Martel's novel 'Life of Pi', who is a Bengal tiger with whom the protagonist is stranded at sea. When comparing meerkats to Richard Parker, it's clear that meerkats exhibit cooperative behavior, especially in the raising of their young, which is in stark contrast to the solitary and predatory nature of a tiger-like Richard Parker. The meerkats' act of babysitting and communal living underscores their social structure, which greatly differs from the independence and territorial instincts of large cats.
Several literary excerpts show a variety of characters interacting with cats and birds, highlighting themes of predation, companionship, and curiosity. These passages do not directly relate to the question but provide a broader context of how animals are portrayed in different stories and their interactions with humans.