Area of zoo
Enclosure status
Open
Population in the wild
Open grasslands and savannas
IUCN status
Least Concern
Scientific name
Cynictis penicillata
Order
Carnivora
Type
Mammals
Family
Herpestidae
Region
Southern Africa
Habitat
Open grasslands and savannas
Yellow mongoose facts
- They live in groups of up to 20 individuals and can often be found cohabiting with meerkats and ground squirrels.
- Yellow mongoose mate in the summer months, between July and September.
- They have five digits on their front feet and four on their hind feet.
What do yellow mongoose look like?
This species can vary in colour from a reddish-yellow to light brown, with their undersides and faces tending to be lighter. They have a distinctive white tip at the end of their long tales and rounded short ears.
ZSL wildlife conservation in Africa
What do yellow mongoose eat?
Their diet mainly consists of insects such as ants, beetles, termites and locusts. They have also been known to eat larger prey such as lizards, frogs, birds and eggs.
Where do yellow mongoose live?
Yellow mongoose can be found throughout southern Africa in places such as Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and Angola.
Yellow mongoose threats
Hunting and trapping.
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