Mongoose

The mongoose lives in savannah woodlands, hiding in hollow trees and termite hills. There are several species common in Kenya. Their sizes range from the tiny dwarf mongoose only one foot long, to the large gray mongoose, up to 4 feet long. The dwarf mongoose is reddish brown with a short tail. They live in dry savannah moving in packs of up to 15 hunting for small rodents, reptiles, and birds. The large gray mongoose is found in forests and along lakes and swamps. Another large species is the white-tailed mongoose, measuring 40 inches long. Its found in habitats ranging from forest to plains. The banded mongoose shown above is the most sociable, commonly seen traveling in groups up to several dozen at time. They can be found in Tsavo, Amboseli and Maasai Mara.