There are six types of mongoose that live in Kruger National Park. They’re wary, quick creatures, but you can be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of one from time to time.
You can sometimes see these little creatures scurrying across the road when they see your vehicle coming. Once they’ve got to the other side, the have often disappeared into the bush and are then very difficult to spot.
They can also make their nests amongst the long grass on the wayside, so you may spot them there as well.
Depending on the type, they also live in open grassy plains, woodlands, marshes and along rivers.
Some are solitary animals and other varieties live in groups of up to 30 or more!
The main animals that hunt them are:
- African hawk eagle
- African wild cats
- Black-backed jackals
- Brown hyenas
- Civets
- Leopards
- Lions
- Pythons
- Servals
Let’s have a look at each type in more detail:
Type | Latin name | Diet | Weight | Length, including tail | Gestation period |
Banded | Mungos mungo | Bird eggs Fruit Insects Reptiles Snails Worms | 1-1.6kg (2.2-3.5lbs) | 45-75cm (18-30in) | 8 weeks, producing 2 to 8 young from October to February |
Dwarf | Helogale parvula | Earthworms Insects Reptiles Snails Worms | 210-340g (0.5-0.8lbs) | 18-28cm (7-11in) | 8 weeks, producing 2 to 4 young from October to March |
Marsh (Water) | Atilax paludinosus | Crabs Fish Frogs Insects Mice Swamp rats | 2.4-4.1kg (5.3-9lbs) | 78-115cm (31-45in) | 8 weeks, producing 1 to 3 young from August to December |
Slender | Galerella sanguinea | Ants Bird eggs Fruit Insects Lizards Mice | 410-640g (0.9-1.4lbs) | 50-73cm (20-29in) | 9 weeks, producing 1 to 2 young from October to March |
White-tailed | Ichneumia albicauda | Frogs Fruit Ground birds Insects Mice Snakes | 4.1-4.5kg (9-9.9lbs) | 37-47cm (15-19in) | 8 weeks, producing 1 to 3 young from September to December |
Yellow | Cynictus penicillata | Ground birds Insects Mice Reptiles | 440-900g (1-2lbs) | 50cm (20in) | 8 weeks, producing 2 to 5 young from October to March |