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white-tailed mongoose

The White-Tailed Mongoose

  • 13 April, 2021
  • Critterman
  • No Comments
  • 962 Views
  • 2 Likes
Daily Critter Facts, Land Mammal Facts

There are 33 known mongoose species and the largest of them all is the white-tailed. These critters may look harmless, but they are fierce predators. They can be found in Africa – south of the Sahara, and in the southern portion of the Arabian Peninsula, in the Middle East. The white-tailed mongoose prefers semi-deserts and savanna woodlands. Due to their stable numbers, this species of mongoose is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

First the Stats…

Scientific name: Ichneumia albicauda
Weight: Up to 9.3 lbs.
Length: Up to 2.3 feet
Lifespan: Up to 20 years

Now on to the Facts!

1.) These mongooses prey mostly on insects, but will also prey on rodents, birds, frogs, lizards, snakes, eggs, fruits, and berries.

2.) White-tailed mongooses are nocturnal (active at night), with occasional crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) habits.

3.) A group of mongooses is sometimes called a ‘pack’, ‘mongeese’, or ‘mongaggle’.

4.) Mongooses have a very high resistance to snake and scorpion venom. This is due to mutations in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. These modified receptors prevent the snake venom α-neurotoxin from binding.

5.) White-tails are also terrestrial (spend most of their lives in trees).

But wait, there’s more on the white-tailed mongoose!

6.) The white-tailed mongooses usually just take over abandoned burrows; choosing not to dig their own.

7.) During the mating season they will emit high-pitched sounds called “giggling”

Did you know…?
The story, “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi” features a mongoose that saves a family from a venomous snake.

8.) Females birth up to 4 pups that are born blind.

9.) The genus name, ‘Ichneumia’, comes from the Greek word ichneumon, which translates to ‘tracker’.

10.) They walk with a similar gait to that of a dog. But they do so with their head hung low and shoulders low to the ground.

Now a Short White-Tailed Mongoose Video!

Also, check out the Critter Science YouTube channel. Videos added frequently!

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AfricaArabianmammalMiddle Eastmongoosepredatorsnakevenomwhite-tailwhite-tailedwhite-tailed mongoose
Critterman

With over 50 years of critter experience to my credit and hundreds of zoology teaching hours to people around the world, I have amassed not only a continuing thirst for critter knowledge but a desire to teach others all I can about the majesty and wonder of our natural world. Critter Science is a culmination of such knowledge. I have hands on as well as book acquired intel on all kinds of critters. Whether they're on land, sea, or in the air. I will never say that I know everything about all animals. That's impossible, even for a savant. But, that being said, ask me any animal question and I'll answer it. If I don't know the answer, I'll get an answer for you!

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