On Saturday mornings, James babysits his nephew Tyler. Tyler is fascinated by meerkats and watches every documentary he can about the animals. Tyler always talks for hours about what meerkats eat, how they live together in families, and how they watch out for predators. On one show, Tyler learns that meerkats spend the late afternoon in their burrows. “They are so lazy!” he complains. James explains that meerkats rest in the shade during the hottest part of the day. That behavior keeps their body temperature from rising too high.

What need are meerkats filling when they return to their burrows in hot weather?

A. getting food for energy
B. finding a living space
C. maintaining homeostasis
D. getting water to drink