Mongoose

Behavior and diet

The mongoose is part of the same family as the meerkat. 33 species exist, such as the yellow mongoose, the banded mongoose and the Egyptian mongoose, just to name a few. They are diurnal animals who are primarily carnivores. They feed mainly on rodents and reptiles, but have been known to also eat berries and seeds. Most mongoose species tend to live solitary lives, but some species, such as the banded mongoose, are social creatures like their meerkat cousins, and live in large colonies. The gestation period of the female mongoose is 60-70 days, with two to six pups being the average litter size.