Dwarf Mongoose

DWARF MONGOOSE, Helogale parvula

WHAT IT IS

The smallest African carnivore, size and color of a red squirrel. Muscular build with medium length legs and 5 toed feet equipped with long claws. male wt 11.4 oz (326 g), body length 9.5 in (24 cm); female 11 oz (315.5 g), body length same as male. Tail almost same as head and body length, tapering to point. Head short and broad with pointed nose, broad, rounded ears. Teeth adapted for insect diet. Coat smooth, glossy, uniform reddish brown to grizzled (rarely black); pink nose.

WHERE IT LIVES

Southern Savanna and adjoining Somali Masai and South West Arid Zones, sea level to 6500 ft (2000 m), from Somalia and Ethiopia to South Africa and Namibia.

GOOD PLACES TO SEE IT

Common around wildlife lodges and dwellings inside national parks, as in Serengeti NP, Tanzania, and Tsavo NP, Kenya, both being places where this mongoose was studied.

ECOLOGY

Preferred habitat includes numerous termite mounds, woody vegetation in the form of thickets, open woodland, or scattered bush. Up to 80 dwarf mongooses/mi, square (31/km. square), highest density of any African carnivore. Diet mainly beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, termites, spiders, and scorpions; occasionally small rodents, snakes, lizards, and birds; also fruits and some vegetables. Water independent but drinks when it can.

ACTIVITY

Strictly diurnal, schedule subject to weather conditions. Packs begin and end day sunbathing and socializing at burrows.

SOCIAL/MATING SYSTEM

Dwarf mongooses live in packs with 1 breeding pair. Their offspring are cooperatively reared by relatives and immigrants. In Serengeti NP, average pack size is 8.4 (range 2 18), including 2 to 3 adult males, 3 to 4 adult females, and 2 to 3 juveniles. Packs occupy permanent territories averaging 85 acres (34 ha), including 10 to 30 termite mounds used as refuges and dens. In dry tree savanna territories are as large as 395 acres (160 ha). The breeding pair, usually the senior male and female, monopolize breeding as long as they remain dominant (several years). The female leads the pack; the male is most alert to danger and intrusions by rival packs. Other members feed and care for offspring, freeing the mother for extra feeding time she needs to keep producing milk. Unrelated immigrants give the alpha pair's offspring the same quality care as blood relations give, a special exception to the rule that cooperative care is based on kinship. Reasons why: · Limited options. Available habitat is usually fully occupied, sharply limiting opportunities to found a new pack. Offspring that try suffer higher mortality than those that stay home or join another pack. · Nonbreeders waiting their turn to become dominant can often get into a shorter queue by transferring from their natal pack. Most transfers occur between 2 and 3 years of age, during the rains. · The investment in rearing unrelated young is repaid in kind when immigrants start breeding. · Relations with neighbors are hostile and larger groups displace smaller ones when they meet,usually at a border, where next door packs use the same termite mounds on a first come, first served basis.

HOW IT MOVES

Very agile and active, this mongoose often moves at a fast trot, flees in the usual jump run, high jumps 1 yd, and climbs well for a mongoose.

FORAGING/PREDATORY BEHAVIOR

In thornbush of eastern Kenya, an amazing association between dwarf mongoose and two bush hornbills (Tockus flavirostis and T. erythrorhynchus) has been documented. They forage together hornbills catch insects, rodents, and other prey flushed by the pack and in return serve as lookouts, sounding alarm calls when avian predators are sighted. The association is so mutually beneficial that particular birds and packs associate daily; hornbills gather at termite mound where their pack spent the night and wait for mongooses to emerge (birds even give wake up calls). If hornbills fail to appear, mongooses hesitate to leave refuge and begin foraging. Dwarf mongooses uncover invertebrate prey by scratching like chickens in leaf and grass litter and around logs and trees. Pack forages on a front, every mongoose for itself, keeping in vocal contact.

REPRODUCTION

Seasonal, 2 to 3 1itters of l to 6 young (average 2.9) during rainy season (Oct. May) in Serengeti NP. Gestation 5 weeks; mother mates again within 2 to 4 weeks. Yearlings can breed but few reproduce before age 2. Subordinate females sometimes mate, typically when alpha's 4 day estrus stimulates them to come into heat. The alpha female also mates with other males if her mate loses interest near the end of estrus.

OFFSPRING AND COMMUNAL CARE

Females rarely become visibly pregnant, and those that do either abort or lose litters through infanticide. Extra lactating females help suckle alpha's offspring. Babies emerge from den at 3 weeks, begin foraging with pack at 5 to 6 weeks. Until then, parents spend less time with babies than helpers, which take turns babysitting while pack forages. Weaning at 6 to 7 weeks.

PREDATORS

Birds of prey, particularly goshawks, and snakes. Even slender mongooses are a threat to babies; pack mobs any that prowl near den with young.

DIFFERENCES lN DWARF MONG00SE BEHAVIOR

Scent,marking

Cheek rubbing followed by anal dragging. Secretions of anal pouch and cheek glands rubbed on objects, pack members, and sex partners, often in turn. Rate increases with excitement.

Aggression

Unusual, associated mainly with estrus, when alpha male; asserts dominance, and with attempted immigration, which same sex residents resist. Acceptance takes 2 days l month; transferring males are sometimes wounded or killed.

Rearing.

Dominance mounting.

Hip slammmg.

Submission

Turning head during greeting.

Crouching low during approach, often with 1 leg raised. Lifting leg signals intention to roll onto side.

Sociable Behavior

CALLS ASSOCIATED WITH PARTICULAR BEHAVIORS

Peeping and churring. Contact call 1 to 3 peeps/sec. Increases and fuses into churr, the "moving-out call" as pack begins general movement.

Excitement twirler rapid call with abrupt shifts in frequency. Signals discovery of something unusual: strange animal or object, or another pack.

Tchee warning call longer, frequency modulated call. Signals presence of possibly dangerous creature, elicits alert behavior.

Tchrr alarm call (harsher, noisier than tchee). Call varies with identity and distance of stimulus. Predator sighted; pack runs for cover or hides. The harsher and shorter the call, the nearer the predator.

Courtship

MALE BEHAVIOR

Marking male and objects. Rate increases when male in heat, as does testes size.

Alpha male chasing other males away.

Soft twittering accompanying mutual grooming.

Copulation duration up to 11 min.

Licking genitals after mating. Sign that ejaculation occurred.

FEMALE BEHAVIOR

Snaps and holds tail straight out to block mounting attempts.
Unreceptive

Parents, Helpers, and Offspring

JUVENILE CALLS

Continuous nest chirp.

Purring and chirping. Contentment sounds (body contact, nursing).

High peeping calls. Distress, as when deserted.

Adult peep calling. Beginning at 3 weeks.

Play

ASSOCIATED CALLS

2 derived from contact peep by accelerating calling rate; 1 derived from excitement twitter.

Response to Predators

Flight to refuge holes. Dwarf mongooses do not bunch in open like bigger mongooses, but simply run and hide.

Threat displays and defense of young. Against slender mongoose or nval pack when babies are in den.

Warning signals: see Sociable Behavior.

Reprinted from "The Safari Companion" by Richard Estes
wildlife@exis.net