Mammal · GBIF taxon 5219098
Common Slender Mongoose
Galerella sanguineaAlso known as Black-tipped Mongoose, Black-tailed Mongoose, Slender Mongoose
Common slender mongooses dart with serpentine fluidity across the African savanna, hunting primarily during bright daylight hours. Unlike their highly social cousins, they lead largely solitary lives, frequenting termite mounds and fallen logs as vantage points to scout for reptiles and insects. When alarmed, they raise their black-tipped tails vertically and can scamper up trees with surprising agility to evade danger.
DiurnalSolitaryAgile
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Insects
- Lizards
- Small Rodents
Predators
- Martial Eagle
- Leopard
- Black-backed Jackal
ThreatsHabitat fragmentation, domestic dog predation, and road mortality
HabitatsSavannas, open woodlands, semi-arid scrub, and bushveld
Life span8–12 years
Classification
- FamilyHerpestidae
- SpeciesGalerella sanguinea
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskModerate
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is moderate
- Can deliver a sharp defensive bite and vector rabies; observe quietly from a safe distance.
- Why it is dangerous
- Wild carnivorans can carry rabies and possess sharp canines capable of inflicting painful puncture wounds.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Slender body with rufous to grizzled brown fur and a distinctive black-tipped tail held upward.
- What to do
- Never attempt to handle, feed, or corner an individual, and give it plenty of room to retreat.
Responsible observation
- Viewing Habits: Watch termite mounds and road verges during mid-morning when foraging peaks.
- Tree Climbing: Check lower acacia forks if an individual suddenly darts off the ground.
- Field Identification: Look for the jet-black tail tip held curved upward during movement.
Competitor Axel Tschentscher / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Prey Warren Klein / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Predator (c) Dan Harville, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Dan Harville · cc-by-sa
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