Meller's mongoose facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Meller's mongoose
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Suborder:	Feliformia
Family:	Herpestidae
Genus:	Rhynchogale Thomas, 1894
Species:	R. melleri
Binomial name
Rhynchogale melleri (Gray, 1865)
Meller's mongoose range (green - extant, pink - probably extant)
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The Meller's mongoose (Rhynchogale melleri) is a small, brown animal. It lives in the savannas and woodlands of southeastern Africa. It's the only type of mongoose in its group, called Rhynchogale. This mongoose is a loner and hunts at night. It mostly eats termites and other small creatures. Even though it's not seen very often, it can adapt well. It isn't facing big dangers right now. It belongs to the mongoose family, which are a bit like foxes. These animals live in parts of Asia, southern Europe, and Africa.

What's in a Name?

Every animal has a special scientific name. The name Rhinogale melleri was first suggested in 1865. It was given by a scientist named John Edward Gray. He named it after a grey-brown mongoose found in East Africa. Later, in 1894, another scientist, Oldfield Thomas, placed it in the group called Rhynchogale.

How to Spot a Meller's Mongoose

Meller's mongooses are medium to large-sized. They have a light to dark brown body. Their fur looks a bit rough up close. Their legs are darker than the rest of their body. Their belly is usually lighter in color.

These mongooses are about 80 centimeters (31 inches) long from nose to tail. They weigh between 2 to 3 kilograms (4.4 to 6.6 pounds). Their tail is long, almost half their total length. The tail can be black, brown, or white. However, it's usually dark brown to black. People sometimes confuse them with the white-tailed mongoose. But Meller's mongooses are smaller and look darker overall.

Where They Live

Meller's mongooses live in many countries in southern Africa. You can find them from central Tanzania down to Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. They also live in Eswatini and northeastern South Africa. They have been seen as high as 1,850 meters (6,070 feet) up in Tanzania.

They prefer to live in savannas. These are open grasslands with scattered trees. They especially like open woodlands, grassy areas, and marshy places with termite mounds. In some areas like Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, they live in Brachystegia woodlands. In Tanzania, they can be found in mountain bamboo forests. They seem to need thick bushes or plants all year round. You won't often see them where fires happen a lot.

Daily Life and Habits

Meller's mongooses are nocturnal. This means they are active at night. They are also solitary, meaning they live alone. They stay on the ground and don't usually climb trees. They typically don't come out until after sunset. They stay active until about midnight.

What They Eat

Meller's mongooses mainly eat termites. They especially like harvester termites and the larger Macrotermes termites. They also enjoy eating grasshoppers, small reptiles, centipedes, beetles, and frogs.

Reproduction

Meller's mongooses usually have their babies at the start of the wet season. This is around November to December. A mother mongoose typically gives birth to 2 or 3 young. They are born in burrows or cracks in rocks. Females have two pairs of special glands on their belly to feed their young.

What Dangers Do They Face?

There are no big known threats to Meller's mongooses right now. Their favorite habitat is very large. In some places, very few people live there. However, as human towns grow, and with more domestic dogs around, these could become a problem in certain areas. Even so, in parts of northern South Africa, these mongooses have been seen living well even near people and their dogs.

How Many Are There?

The Meller's mongoose is listed as a Least Concern animal on the IUCN Red List. This means they are not currently in danger of disappearing. They seem to be uncommon or rare, but it's possible they are just hard to spot. Also, people might confuse them with other types of mongooses.