The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

suricat \su"ri*cat\, suricate \su"ri*cate\(s[=u]"r[i^]*k[a^]t),
   n. [F. surikate, from the native name in South Africa.]
   (Zool.)
   A South African mongooselike viverrine (Suricata suricatta
   or Suricata tetradactyla) having a lemurlike face and only
   four toes; called also mierkat, yellow mongoose and
   zenick. [Also spelled surikate.]

   Note: The animal called zenick seems also to be related to
         or identical to the mierkat, but no reference can be
         found on the internet.

   Syn: meerkat.
        [1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Zenick \Ze"nick\, n. (Zool.)
   A South African burrowing mammal (Suricata tetradactyla),
   allied to the civets. It is grayish brown, with yellowish
   transverse stripes on the back. Called also suricat.
   [obsolete]

   Note: This term is not found on the internet. It probably
         refers to the meerkat, also called suricate.
         [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

Suricata tetradactyla
    n 1: burrowing diurnal meerkat of southern Africa; often kept as
         a pet [syn: suricate, Suricata tetradactyla]