mongoose, Any of nearly 40 species of carnivores constituting the family Herpestidae, found in Africa, Asia, and southern Europe. Rudyard Kipling’s famous “Rikki-tikki-tavi” was an Indian, or gray, mongoose (Herpestes edwardsii); the meerkat is also a member of the mongoose family. Species range from 7 to 35 in. (17 to 90 cm) long, excluding the furry 6–12-in. (15–30-cm) tail. Mongooses have short legs, a pointed nose, and small ears. Most species are active during the day. The gray to brown fur may have light flecks or dark markings. Mongooses live in burrows, alone, in pairs, or in large groups, and they eat small mammals, birds, reptiles, eggs, and fruit. A few species are semiaquatic. Some species attack and kill poisonous snakes by cracking the skull with a powerful bite. Mongooses possess a glycoprotein that binds to and deactivates the proteins in snake venom, rendering the venom harmless.
Related Summaries
