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There are 33 species of mongoose they resemble
weasels and ferrets.
Mongoose Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Herpestidae
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Mongoose in Foreign Languages:
Afrikaans: muishond
Czech: mangusta
Dutch: mangoeste
Estonian: mangust
Finnish: mungo, mangusti
French: mangouste
German: Manguste, Mungo
Hungarian: mongúz
Indonesian: musang
Italian: mangusta
Japanese: mangusu
Lithuanian: mangusta
Malay: cerpelai
Navajo: dlo´'ii yil aheelt'éhígíí
Portuguese: mangusto, fuinha
Romanian: mangusta
Russian: mangúst
Slovenian: mungo
Spanish: mangosta
Swahili: nguchiro
Swedish: mungo
Turkish: firavun faresi, kuyruksüren
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Size: Mongoose measure 7 to 25 inches
long and have a tail that measures 6 to 21 inches
long. Mongooses weigh between 12 oz to 11 lbs.
The dwarf mongoose is the smallest mongoose species
while the Egyptian mongoose is the largest of
the mongoose species.
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Mongoose
Conservation Status: Some Species are
Threatened
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Habitat: MMongooses live in southern Asia, Africa,
and southern Europe, as well in Puerto Rico and some
Caribbean and Hawaiian islands, where they are an introduced
species.
Description: Mongoose have long sleek bodies,
long narrow heads, short legs, and tapering tails. Mongoose
have a brown or gray grizzled fur coat. A number of
mongoose species sport striped coats or ringed tails.
Behavior: Mongoose are usuallly terrestrial
mammals, but some are semi-aquatic while other species
spend time in trees.
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Diet: Mongoose are omnivores. Mongoose
eat small animals such as rodents, birds, reptiles,
frogs, insects, and worms. Mongoose will also
occasionally eat fruits, nuts, and seeds.
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Did You Know?
A Mongoose can make a high-pitched
noise, known as ‘giggling’, when mating.
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Birth: Female mongoose have one litter of pups
per year. The litter contains up to 4 pups. The mongoose
pups are weaned at 6 weeks of age, and will begin foraging.
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Life Span: Mongoose live 20 years in
captivity. Mongoose live 7 to 12 years in the
wild.
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Did You Know?
Mongooses are unaffected by snake
venom.
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