Indian brown mongoose facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Indian brown mongoose |
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| Western Ghats, India | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Urva
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| Species: |
fusca
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| Indian brown mongoose range | |
| Synonyms | |
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Herpestes fuscus |
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The Indian brown mongoose (Urva fusca) is a fascinating animal. It's a type of mongoose that lives in the Western Ghats mountains in India. You can also find it along the western coast of Sri Lanka. Some of these mongooses were even brought to Fiji. Scientists have listed it as a species of "least concern," which means it's not currently in danger of disappearing.
Contents
What Does the Indian Brown Mongoose Look Like?
The Indian brown mongoose is quite large compared to other mongoose species in southern India. It has a dark brown body. Its legs are a very noticeable black color.
Size and Features
From its head to its body, this mongoose measures about 33 to 48 centimeters (around 13 to 19 inches) long. Its tail is also quite long, about 20 to 34 centimeters (around 8 to 13 inches). The tail is very furry, much more so than the tail of the small Indian mongoose. You can often tell this species apart from others by its pointed tail and the fur found under its back legs.
Males, Females, and Young
Male Indian brown mongooses are usually bigger and heavier than females. They can weigh up to 2.7 kilograms (about 6 pounds). Young mongooses are even darker in color than adults. They also have yellowish eyes.
Where Does the Indian Brown Mongoose Live?
The Indian brown mongoose lives in different places across South India and Sri Lanka.
Homes in India
In South India, these mongooses live in areas that are about 700 to 1,300 meters (about 2,300 to 4,300 feet) high. You can find them in places like Virajpet in Coorg, Ooty in the Nilgiri Hills, and Tiger Shola in the Palni Hills. They also live in the High Wavy Mountains near Madurai, Kalakad-Mundanthurai in the Agasthyamalai Hills, and the Valparai plateau in the Anamalai Hills. In Kerala, they are found in Peeramedu.
Homes in Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, the Indian brown mongoose mostly lives along the west coast. It can also be found in the central hills and in some western cities.
New Home in Fiji
In the 1970s, some Indian brown mongooses were brought to Fiji. There, they live alongside another type of mongoose called the Javan mongoose.
How Does the Indian Brown Mongoose Live?
The Indian brown mongoose is a shy animal that prefers to live alone. It is also a nocturnal animal, which means it is most active at night.
Habitat and Habits
These mongooses like to live in dense forests. In Sri Lanka, they prefer jungle areas with lots of ferns and bushes, rather than tea farms. They usually avoid people. However, sometimes they might go into suburban gardens to hunt for snakes and mice. If they feel threatened, they will try to run away to a hole or a termite mound. But if they get trapped, they will fight fiercely!
What Do They Eat?
The brown mongoose is an opportunistic carnivore. This means it eats whatever small animals it can find. Their main diet includes small rodents, snakes, lizards, spiders, and grubs. They also eat birds, eggs, and frogs. Sometimes, they even munch on berries and flowers. When hunting, they stop very still to listen for their prey. Then, they quickly pounce and bite the prey on the head.
Reproduction and Young
When it's time to have babies, Indian brown mongooses dig burrows in rocky areas. They also use well-hidden banks or spaces under rocks or anthills. A female mongoose usually gives birth to two to three young. They can have babies at any time of the year.
About Their Name
The scientific name for the Indian brown mongoose is Urva fusca.
How They Got Their Name
In 1838, a scientist named George Robert Waterhouse gave the name Herpestes fuscus to a grayish-brown mongoose skin he bought in Madras, India. Today, scientists believe that all Asian mongooses belong to a group called the Urva genus.
