Bushy-tailed mongoose facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bushy-tailed mongoose |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Bdeogale
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| Species: |
crassicauda
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| Bushy-tailed mongoose range (green - extant, pink - probably extant) |
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The bushy-tailed mongoose (Bdeogale crassicauda) is a cool mammal that belongs to the mongoose family. You can find these animals living in central Africa, from southern Kenya all the way to central Mozambique.
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What Does the Bushy-Tailed Mongoose Look Like?
The bushy-tailed mongoose has fur that can be greyish or yellowish-brown. It has a thick undercoat and longer outer hairs, which are called guard hairs. These guard hairs can be about 5 to 45 millimeters long.
This mongoose has a rounded head with short, soft ears. Its nose area, called a muzzle, is also very soft. One of its most noticeable features is its wide, bushy tail, which gives it its name!
Scientists have measured some of these mongooses. For example, five bushy-tailed mongooses found in Arusha National Park were about 38 to 41 centimeters long from head to body. Their tails were around 23 centimeters long, and their feet were about 7.5 to 7.8 centimeters long. They weighed between 1.27 and 1.3 kilograms, which is about the same as a small bag of sugar.
Different Types of Bushy-Tailed Mongooses
Just like there are different types of dogs, there are also different types of bushy-tailed mongooses! These are called subspecies. They are all the same species but have slight differences, often based on where they live.
Here are some of the known subspecies:
- B. c. crassicauda: Found in central Mozambique, Malawi, and Zambia.
- B. c. nigrescens: Lives in Central Kenya, near Nairobi.
- B. c. omnivora: Found along the northern coasts of Tanzania and Kenya.
- B. c. puisa: Lives in northern Mozambique and southern Tanzania.
- B. c. tenuis
Scientists study the genes of animals to understand how they are related. They found that the bushy-tailed mongoose is closely related to the black-footed mongoose. These two are like close cousins within the mongoose family!
Where Do Bushy-Tailed Mongooses Live?
It can be tricky to know exactly where all bushy-tailed mongooses live. This is because they are quite shy and good at hiding! However, they seem to prefer places near rivers where there is plenty of cover to hide in.
They mostly live in open shrublands and forests with many layers of plants. These areas usually have steady temperatures and humidity, which the mongooses like.
In northern Tanzania, scientists used special camera traps to spot these mongooses. They found them in over 31 different spots, including places like Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Mahale Mountains National Park. They were often seen in Acacia woodlands and areas along rivers.
Protecting the Bushy-Tailed Mongoose
The bushy-tailed mongoose is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. This means that while they are not in immediate danger of disappearing, we still need to keep an eye on them.
However, these mongooses do face some challenges. Their homes are sometimes damaged or broken up into smaller pieces, which is called habitat degradation and fragmentation. Also, there might be fewer animals for them to hunt, and land use changes, like cattle grazing, can affect their environment. Protecting their habitats is important to keep these unique animals safe for the future!
