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• Mammals |
• Predators |
• Mongoose

Mongoose

A  few different species of mongoose occur in the Kruger National Park, some of which are very rarely seen. We look at the three most common ones on this page:

Dwarf mongoose
(Helogale parvula)

Dwarf mongooses are extremely small and look a bit like dark mice with fat tails. You often see them at the side of the road in small groups. As you approach, they scurry into the grass, but if you are patient they usually reappear within seconds and will come closer to your vehicle. They are very inquisitive. They prefer open savannas with lots of termite mounds or other shelter places, such as those found in the Pretoriuskop Sourveld and Mopane/Bushwillow Woodlands ecozones.

Banded mongoose
(Mungos mungo)

Banded mongooses are larger and lighter in colour than dwarf mongooses, but also live in large groups and use termite mounds for shelter from time to time. You could see them almost anywhere in the park, but I have often seen them running along the fence (on the outside) in Skukuza, down by the riverfront. They are known to stand up to snakes and even kill them, and to break birds' eggs by throwing them against rocks.

Slender mongoose
(Galerella sanguinea)

Slender mongooses don't live in groups like dwarf and banded mongooses do. They are generally seen alone and for only a split second, as they are very shy. They typically have a bright reddish-brown colour and a very long, thin tail with a black tuft at the end. You may encounter them throughout most of the park.

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