Creature Feature #473: Mongoose

The Mongoose are a Family of Carnivores that includes the meerkat and the four kusimanse species. They are found naturally in Asia, Africa and southern Europe and have been introduced to Puerto Rico, and parts of Hawaii and the Caribbean. Here they have become an invasive pest due to their diet of anything terrestrial: invertebrates, crustaceans, small mammals, birds. Despite their similar appearance, they are not closely related to the mustelid family (mink, ferret, polecat etc) but are actually more closely related to the felines. Mongoose are immune to neurotoxin snake venom; the Indian Gray Mongoose is famed for his ability to kill cobra, although this is not a regular behaviour.

This is a Yellow Mongoose.

The Malagasy "mongoose" species are not actually mongooses at all, but are their own Family. They will be dealt with indivually (or at least the ringtailed mongoose will be).