Mammals · Carnivora · Herpestidae

Common Dwarf Mongoose

Helogale parvula

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It lives in cooperative family groups led by a monogamous dominant female and her mate, the only pair to breed while the rest of the group helps rear the young.

Weight

213 g – 341 g

Size

16 cm – 23 cm

Lifespan

13 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Family group

Lives in small family groups with close bonds.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaOmnivore Diurnal Family group Savanna Mammal

43countries 50parks5same family

Fun facts

It is the smallest carnivore in Africa.
It eats insects, arachnids, small reptiles and occasionally small rodents.
It lives in dry grassland, open woodland and scrub of eastern and southern Africa, near termite mounds.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Dry grassland, open woodland and scrub of eastern and southern Africa, especially where termite mounds are plentiful
Birth weight: Born blind and helpless
Size at birth: Born blind and helpless
Sexual maturity: ~3 years to breed fully (though physiological maturity may come earlier)
Gestation / incubation: 49-56 days
Litter / clutch size: 1 to 6 young per litter (4 on average), with up to 3 litters a year in the dominant female
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 20 years

Sources consulted: Animal Diversity Web; Wikipedia (Common dwarf mongoose); AnAge (genomics.senescence.info)

Where to find it

See its range on the interactive map

Best time: All year round in the savannahs of eastern and southern Africa, by day; the group usually settles into abandoned termite mounds, which it uses as a den.