Banded mongoose get their name from the highly visible dark stripes or bands that run down the entire length of their back.
They are highly sociable and live in groups of up to 40 individuals. Living in large groups helps them in many ways. Firstly, there’s safety in numbers when attacked by predators and secondly, large numbers make it easier to collect more food.
A banded mongoose’s ideal home is an old, disused termite mound. The mongoose prefers this as it has many entrances and exits, therefore they never feel trapped in and have plenty of air holes.
They are quite nomadic little creatures, which means they like to move around from place to place. They never spend more than three or four days in any one place. If they can’t find shelter they form into a tight group with all their heads facing outwards.
Banded mongoose questions and answers
What do banded mongoose eat? They certainly have a varied diet. Frogs, snakes, fruit, eggs, beetles, ants, crickets, termites, centipedes, grasshoppers, caterpillars, earwigs, lizards and even small rodents are all on the menu.
Do they have any predators? They do yes, namely birds of prey, wild dogs, jackals, hyenas and snakes.
How many babies do they have? It varies. A litter of between two and six pups is usual, with the average set at four. After four weeks the pups are ready to look for food themselves.
Do they make a noise?
They do yes, they constantly ‘chatter’ to each other throughout the day.
What is a group of mongoose called?
A group of mongoose is called a pack.
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