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Viewing Hints
You can find our breeding pair of dwarf mongoose in Carnivore Kingdom. They are usually terrestrial and can be located on the floor of their habitat. On occasion they will hop up onto the rocky ledges, showing off their great leaping and climbing abilities. We also have a trio located at the Rare Animal Conservation Center right next to our naked mole-rat colony.
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Dwarf mongoose
Helogale parvula
| Size |
Tip of nose to top of tail: 7-11 inches (18-28 centimeters). Tail length is: 5.5-7.5 inches (14-19 centimeters). |
| Weight |
7-12 ounces (210-350 grams) |
| Conservation Status |
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| Diet |
Dwarf mongoose prey mainly on insects and small vertebrates, but they will also eat berries. At the Zoo, their diet includes cat food, insects and a variety protein including hard boiled eggs, mouse pups and beef ribs. Occasionally fruit and berries are offered – but they are not a favorite. The diet is formulated to meet the nutritional needs of each individual animal and to promote normal feeding behaviors. |
| Geographic Range |
Dwarf mongoose inhabit savannas, open woodlands, thickets and rocky crevices. Habitat choice is dependent on the availability of termite mounds for refuge and denning. They range through most areas of Africa including, but not limited to, Uganda, Zambia, Namibia, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya and Botswana. |
| Where to find me in the Zoo |
Carnivore Kingdom and Rare Animal Conservation Center |
Note: Description below should include Longevity, Behavior, and Reproduction information
Mongoose utilize many vocalizations. Some are used to alert the pack of danger or signal time to move, others allow subadults to communicate with young. The vocalizations sound like: tinkling, trilling, vibrating, chirrups and "twitters".
Longevity
6-8 years
Reproduction
The oldest female is the only one that will produce offspring. The gestation period for a dwarf mongoose is 50-54 days. She may produce 1-6 in a litter and may give birth 3-4 times per year. Once they are born the mother only comes back to nurse the young. Subordinate males and females act as "babysitters" to the young, assuming primary responsibility for raising the young. Youngsters usually emerge from the den site after 3 weeks.
Behavior
Mongoose have a "mammal-bird mutualism" with hornbills. Hornbills will follow after mongoose packs while they forage each day. As the mongoose travel through their range they are disturbing insects, which the hornbills then consume. In return for the meals that the mongoose provide to the birds, hornbills will alert the pack of predators so the mongoose can all run to protected areas.
Moga: Male, born July 31, 2003 at the St. Louis Zoo. He arrived at the Philadelphia Zoo on June 1, 2005.
Jada: Female, born November 13, 2007 at the Brookfield Zoo. She arrived at the Philadelphia Zoo on October 27, 2010.
Moga & Jada are in Carnivore Kingdom.
Elroy: Male, born June 30, 2003 at the Helsinki Zoo in Finland.
Elliot: Male, born June 30, 2003 at the Helsinki Zoo in Finland.
Emily: Female, born June 29, 2001 at the St. Louis Zoo.
Elroy, Elliot and Emily are in the Rare Animal Conservation Center. This trio arrived from the Brookfield Zoo on January 18, 2011.
Enrichment
Adoption Information
Featured Foster Parent
Sources:
1) Kingdon J. 2004. The Kingdon Pocket Guide to African Mammals. Princeton (NJ): Princeton University Press, p. 154; 2) Kingdon J. 1997. The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals. San Diego (CA): Academic Press, p. 242-243; 3) Hinton HE, Dunn AMS. 1967. Mongooses-Their natural history and behaviour. London (UK): Oliver and Boyd LTD, p. 7, 22, 93, 97-98, 115; 4) Rasa A. 1984. Mongoose Watch, A Family Observed. Stuttgart (GE): Deutscheverlags-Anstalt GmbH, p. 11-298.
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