Selous' Mongoose

Selous's mongoose is endemic to Southern Africa. Its range includes Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and South Africa.

The Selous's mongoose is a nocturnal species, but has been observed above ground during the day. Although usually solitary, mongooses will sometimes form pairs, and it is not uncommon to see females with young. The Selous's mongoose digs its own burrows, but may opportunistically use those of other animals. The Selous's mongoose can defend itself by expelling strong-smelling secretion from its anal gland. Its white-tipped tail may be an indication of this ability. The Selous's mongoose's primary source of food is invertebrates. It also feeds on small rodents, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. The front claws of the mongoose are ideally adapted to search for subterranean beetle larvae. The species will dig through tufts of grass or leaf litter to find food. Litters are usually made up of two to four young, which are born from August to March.

The mongoose is named after Frederick Selous. Both Selous's mongoose and Selous' mongoose are accepted spellings of the name. The Selous's mongoose has other names in native African language, as follows: Afrikaans: Kleinwitstertmuishond Zulu: Nsengane Tswana: Kgano Shona: Jerenyenje.

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