Yellow mongoose facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yellow mongoose |
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| An adult yellow mongoose in Etosha | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cynictis
|
| Species: |
penicillata
|
 |
|
| Yellow mongoose range | |
The yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata) is a small, furry animal that belongs to the mongoose family. Some people also call it the red meerkat.
These mongooses usually weigh about 0.45 kilograms (1 pound). They are about 50 centimeters (20 inches) long, including their tail. You can find them living in open areas like grasslands and dry, bushy lands. They live in countries such as Angola, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. The yellow mongoose is the only type of mongoose in its special group, called Cynictis.
Contents
What is a Yellow Mongoose?
Yellow mongooses have lighter fur on their bellies and chins. They also have a fluffy tail. It's hard to tell the difference between male and female yellow mongooses just by looking at them.
Mongooses living in the southern parts of their home range are usually bigger. They have yellow or reddish fur and longer tails with a white tip. Those living in the northern areas are often smaller. They have grey fur and a grey or darker tail tip. Their fur is shorter, which helps them stay cool in hotter places.
How Yellow Mongooses Live
Yellow mongooses are mostly active during the day. However, sometimes they can be seen moving around at night too. They live in groups called colonies, with up to 20 mongooses. These groups share a large home made of tunnels underground.
Yellow mongooses often live with other animals like Cape ground squirrels or suricates. They all help to keep their shared burrow system tidy. They add new tunnels and rooms as needed. The tunnel system has many entrances. The mongooses also have special spots near these entrances where they go to the bathroom.
What Do Yellow Mongooses Eat?
Yellow mongooses are carnivores, which means they mainly eat meat. Their favorite foods include beetles, termites, grasshoppers, and crickets. They also eat caterpillars and ants. Sometimes, they hunt small animals like rodents, tiny birds, reptiles, and amphibians. They also eat eggs, dead animals, grass, and seeds. In cities in South Africa, they might even look for food in human garbage.
Yellow Mongoose Family Life
Yellow mongooses live in a structured group, like a family. There is a main breeding pair and their youngest children. Older children, elderly mongooses, or other adult relatives of the main pair might also live with them.
Male mongooses often have areas that overlap with other males. However, female mongooses from different dens usually have their own separate areas. Every day, the main male marks his group members with a special scent. He also marks the edges of his territory with scents from his face and rear, as well as with urine. The main male also rubs his back against things, leaving hair behind. This is a visual sign to other animals that this is his territory. Other group members mark their dens with scents from their cheeks. A colony can have between 20 and 40 members.
Who Hunts Yellow Mongooses?
Predators that hunt yellow mongooses include birds of prey, snakes, and jackals. If a yellow mongoose gets scared, it will growl. It also lets out a special smell from glands near its tail. They can also scream, bark, and purr. But usually, yellow mongooses are quiet. They show how they are feeling or their status by moving their tails.
Yellow Mongoose Reproduction and Life Cycle
Yellow mongooses usually mate between July and September. The mother mongoose gives birth underground between October and December. She doesn't use any special bedding material. She gives birth in a clean room within the burrow system.
Most of the time, two baby mongooses are born at once. The babies drink their mother's milk for about 10 weeks. They grow to their full adult size after about 10 months.
Yellow Mongooses and Rabies
Scientists are studying the yellow mongoose because it can carry the rabies virus. Most wild animals in Africa get very sick and die quickly from rabies. However, some types of yellow mongooses can carry the virus for years without showing signs of being sick. Even though they seem healthy, they can still spread the virus to other animals.
