By Louise Bishop (University of Alaska, Fairbanks)

Dwarf mongoose are an intriguing and social species. They are similar in size to the tree squirrel, but much more elusive.

So far, I have seen dwarf mongoose a total of three times. They are extremely skittish around humans and cars so a mongaggle is usually seen fleeing the area in all directions when you come upon them in the bush. This may be explained by the large number of predators that eat them, including birds of prey, larger carnivorous mammals like jackals and sometimes leopards, and even other mongoose species like the slightly larger slender mongoose. Their coat is dark brown and their eyes and noses are similarly dark, like a snuggly coffee bean. Mongaggles live in old termite mounds; which are extremely common in the Okavango Delta. Their termite mound(s) are the home base of the mongaggle.

 

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The social dynamics of a business of mongoose are complex and highly adapted to their environment. A business is usually made up of around 10 mongoose with one alpha male and female pair that have almost exclusive mating rights. Once a litter is born (2-3 litters every wet season consisting of 1-3 pups) the whole mongaggle contributes to the care of the pups. Some of the beta females even start lactating or abort their own pregnancies/ abandon their own pups to care for the alpha female’s litter. Pack members also contribute to feeding the young by bringing insects back to the mound. All members of the mongaggle partake in grooming and scent marking each other with their cheek scent glands.

Another interesting aspect of the dwarf mongoose is its supposed mutualistic relationship with hornbills. The hornbills call and warn each other and the mongaggle of danger in the area and in return the mongaggle stirs up insects and other small things while they’re foraging that the hornbills also eat. It has also been claimed that the hornbills serve as an alarm clock by calling into the termite mound for the mongoose if they are late for their morning forage.

Although my personal observations of dwarf mongoose have been limited, other students this fall have observed dwarf mongoose dissecting elephant poop looking for food alongside hornbills. I also observed a dwarf mongoose sneaking up to the trash bag in our own camp, although he ran back into the bush as soon as he noticed us. In both these instances there was only one mongoose, however they forage in groups so the rest could not have been far away. They are common animals in the Okavango Delta so I know I will have plenty more opportunities to observe dwarf mongoose behavior in action now that I know more about them.